# Git Commands Cheat Sheet

# Introduction

This cheat sheet provides a quick reference for essential Git commands and practices. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced user, this guide will help you navigate Git efficiently.

# 1. General Commands

For checking status, viewing commit history:

git status: Check the status of changes.
git log: View commit history.

git status #: Check the status of changes.
git log #: View commit history.
 
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# 2. Starting/Managing Repos

For cloning and initializing a new Git repository:

git clone [url]: Clone a repository.
git init: Initialize a new Git repository.
git remote add origin [url]: Set remote origin URL.

git clone [url]              # Clone a repository.
git init                     # Initialize a new Git repository.
git remote add origin [url]  # Set remote origin URL.
 
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# 3. Staging & Committing Changes

For staging and committing changes to Git:

git add [file/directory]: Stage the supplied file/directory.
git add .: Stage all the changes for the commit.
git commit -m "message": Commit staged changes with a message.

git add [file/directory]    # Stage the supplied file/directory.
git add .                   # Stage all the changes for the commit.
git commit -m "message"     # Commit staged changes with a message.
 
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Managing branches, switching between them, and creating new branches:

git branch: List branches in the repo.
git checkout [branch_name]: Switch to a branch or,
git switch [branch_name]: Switch to a branch.
git checkout -b [new_branch_name]: Create and switch to a new branch or,
git switch -b [new_branch_name]: Create and switch to a new branch.
git branch -D [branch_name]: Delete a branch.

git branch                   # List branches in the repo.
git checkout [branch_name]   # Switch to a branch.
git switch [branch_name]     # Switch to a branch.
git checkout -b [new_branch_name] # Create and switch to a new branch.
git switch -b [new_branch_name]   # Create and switch to a new branch.
git branch -D [branch_name]  # Delete a branch.
 
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# 5. Pushing & Pulling Changes

Pushing changes to a branch and pulling changes from a branch:

git push origin [branch_name]: Push changes to a branch.
git pull origin [branch_name]: Pull changes from a branch.

git push origin [branch_name] # Push changes to a branch.
git pull origin [branch_name] # Pull changes from a branch.
 
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# 6. Stashing Changes

Storing and applying changes temporarily:

git stash: Temporarily store changes you don't want to commit yet.
git stash --include-untracked: Temporarily store changes including the untracked files that are not committed yet.
git stash pop: Apply stored changes back to the working tree.

git stash                   # Temporarily store changes you don't want to commit yet.
git stash --include-untracked # Temporarily store changes including untracked files.
git stash pop               # Apply stored changes back to the working tree.
 
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# Notes

If you've made changes on the main branch (or any other branch) and want to switch branches without committing those changes, use git stash to store the changes temporarily. Once you've switched to the desired branch, use git stash pop to retrieve and apply those changes.

# 7. Cleaning & File Removal

Removing files and directories, and cleaning untracked files:

git mv [source file path] [destination file path]: Move or rename a file within a git repository.
git clean . -f: Remove untracked files.

# Move or rename a file within a git repository.
git mv [source file path] [destination file path] 
# Remove untracked files.
git clean . -f  
 
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# 8. Undo/Revert Actions

Reverting changes in the working directory and resetting commits:

git checkout .: Revert changes in the working directory.
git reset HEAD~[number]: Reset the last [number] of commits and put the commit changes in unstaged area.
git reset --hard HEAD~[number]: Remove your uncommitted changes, even if you staged them.
git reset --soft HEAD~[number]: Use this if you don't want your unstaged changes to be removed.

# Revert changes in the working directory.
git checkout .                
 # Reset the last [number] of commits and put the commit changes in the unstaged area.
git reset HEAD~[number]      
# Remove uncommitted changes, even if staged.
git reset --hard HEAD~[number] 
# Use this if you don't want your unstaged changes to be removed.
git reset --soft HEAD~[number] 
 
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# Error Handling

Handling common errors encountered during Git operations: If you encounter the error: "Your local changes to the following files would be overwritten by checkout: Please commit your changes or stash them before you switch branches," use git checkout . to revert the changes.

# 9. Merging & Pull Requests

Creating pull requests and merging changes from other branches (on hosting platforms like GitHub/Bitbucket):

git merge [branch_name]: Merge changes from another branch into the current one.

git merge [branch_name] # Merge changes from another branch into the current one.
 
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# 10. Advanced/Utility Commands

Utilizing advanced Git commands for remote management and branch deletion:

git reflog: Show the history of recent actions in the repo.
git rm -r --cached .: Remove all the files from git without deleting them.

git reflog                  # Show the history of recent actions in the repo.
git rm -r --cached .        # Remove all the files from git without deleting them.
 
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# Abbreviations and Acronyms

Here are some common abbreviations and acronyms that you can use for the Git Commands Cheat Sheet:

URL: Uniform Resource Locator
Git: Global Information Tracker
Repo: Repository
Cmd: Command
Msg: Message
Diff: Difference
Stg: Staging
WD: Working Directory
PR: Pull Request
Ref: Reference
Log: Log
Branch: Branch
Init: Initialize
Push: Push
Pull: Pull
Merge: Merge
HEAD: Current Commit
Stash: Stash

# Tips and Tricks

Here are some additional tips and tricks to enhance your Git experience:

# Ignoring Files

Create a .gitignore file to specify files or directories you want Git to ignore. This is useful for excluding files like build artifacts or sensitive information.

.gitignore example:

*.log
build/
Secret.txt
 
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# Viewing Diffs

Use git diff to see the differences between the working directory, staging area, and the last commit:

git diff: Show differences in the working directory.
git diff --staged: Show differences in the staging area.
git diff HEAD: Show differences between the working directory and the last commit.

git diff           # Show differences in the working directory.
git diff --staged  # Show differences in the staging area.
git diff HEAD      # Show differences between the working directory and the last commit.
 
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# Viewing the Remote Information

Check information about remote repositories with git remote -v and fetch updates from the remote repository using git fetch:

git remote -v: View remote repositories.
git fetch: Fetch changes from the remote repository.

git remote -v  # View remote repositories.
git fetch      # Fetch changes from the remote repository.
 
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# Interactive Rebase

Use interactive rebase (git rebase -i) to modify, combine, or delete commits before pushing them. This can be helpful to create cleaner commit histories.

git rebase -i HEAD~[number]: Rebase the last [number] commits interactively.

git rebase -i HEAD~[number] # Rebase the last [number] commits interactively.
 
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# Blame

Use git blame to see who last modified each line of a file. This can help track down when and by whom specific changes were made:

git blame [filename]: Show file changes and author details.

git blame [filename] # Show file changes and author details.
 
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# Cleaning & File Removal

Removing files and directories, and cleaning untracked files:

rm [file_name]: Remove a file.
rm -rf [directory_name]: Remove a directory and its contents.
pwd: Print working directory.

# References

Git Documentation (opens new window)

# Git Commands Cheat Sheet

# Introduction

# 1. General Commands

# 2. Starting/Managing Repos

# 3. Staging & Committing Changes

# 4. Branching & Navigation

# 5. Pushing & Pulling Changes

# 6. Stashing Changes

# Notes

# 7. Cleaning & File Removal

# 8. Undo/Revert Actions

# Error Handling

# 9. Merging & Pull Requests

# 10. Advanced/Utility Commands

# Abbreviations and Acronyms

# Tips and Tricks

# Ignoring Files

# Viewing Diffs

# Viewing the Remote Information

# Interactive Rebase

# Blame

# Cleaning & File Removal

# References

# Best Website To Learn Git