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Git Cheat Sheet

Table of Contents

Configuration

User Setup

# Set global username and email
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"

# Set repository-specific user
git config user.name "Work Name"
git config user.email "[email protected]"

# View all settings
git config --list
git config --list --show-origin              # Show where each setting is defined

# View specific setting
git config user.name

Editor and Tools

# Set default editor
git config --global core.editor "vim"
git config --global core.editor "code --wait"        # VS Code

# Set default merge tool
git config --global merge.tool vimdiff

# Set diff tool
git config --global diff.tool meld

Common Settings

# Set default branch name for new repositories
git config --global init.defaultBranch main

# Enable colored output
git config --global color.ui auto

# Set line ending preferences
git config --global core.autocrlf input          # Linux/Mac
git config --global core.autocrlf true           # Windows

# Store credentials
git config --global credential.helper cache      # Cache for 15 min
git config --global credential.helper store      # Store permanently (plaintext)

Repository Setup

Initialize and Clone

# Create new repository
git init                                         # Initialize in current directory
git init my-project                              # Create new directory and initialize

# Clone existing repository
git clone https://github.com/user/repo.git
git clone [email protected]:user/repo.git           # SSH
git clone https://github.com/user/repo.git my-folder   # Clone into specific folder

# Clone specific branch
git clone -b develop https://github.com/user/repo.git

# Shallow clone (faster, limited history)
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/user/repo.git

Repository Information

# Show remote URLs
git remote -v

# Show repository root directory
git rev-parse --show-toplevel

# Show current branch
git branch --show-current
git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD

Basic Workflow

# Check status
git status
git status -s                                    # Short format

# Add changes to staging
git add file.txt
git add .                                        # Add all changes

# Commit changes
git commit -m "Commit message"

# Push to remote
git push origin main

# Pull latest changes
git pull origin main

Staging and Committing

Adding Files

# Add specific file
git add file.txt

# Add multiple files
git add file1.txt file2.txt

# Add all changes in current directory
git add .

# Add all changes in repository
git add -A
git add --all

# Add only tracked files
git add -u

# Interactive staging
git add -p                                       # Stage hunks interactively
git add -i                                       # Interactive mode

Committing

# Commit with message
git commit -m "Add new feature"

# Commit with multi-line message
git commit -m "Subject line" -m "Body paragraph"

# Commit all tracked changes (skip staging)
git commit -am "Quick commit"

# Amend last commit
git commit --amend                               # Edit message in editor
git commit --amend -m "New message"              # Replace message
git commit --amend --no-edit                     # Keep message, add staged changes

# Empty commit (useful for triggering CI)
git commit --allow-empty -m "Trigger build"

# Commit with specific date
git commit --date="2024-01-15 10:00:00" -m "Backdated commit"

Branching

List Branches

# List local branches
git branch
git branch -v                                    # With last commit info

# List remote branches
git branch -r

# List all branches (local and remote)
git branch -a

# List branches containing specific commit
git branch --contains <commit>

# List merged/unmerged branches
git branch --merged
git branch --no-merged

Create and Switch

# Create new branch
git branch feature-x

# Switch to branch
git checkout feature-x
git switch feature-x                             # Modern syntax

# Create and switch in one command
git checkout -b feature-x
git switch -c feature-x                          # Modern syntax

# Create branch from specific commit
git checkout -b hotfix abc1234

# Create branch tracking remote
git checkout -b feature origin/feature
git checkout --track origin/feature              # Shorthand

Rename and Delete

# Rename current branch
git branch -m new-name

# Rename specific branch
git branch -m old-name new-name

# Delete local branch
git branch -d feature-x                          # Safe delete (must be merged)
git branch -D feature-x                          # Force delete

# Delete remote branch
git push origin --delete feature-x
git push origin :feature-x                       # Alternative syntax

Merging

Basic Merge

# Merge branch into current branch
git merge feature-x

# Merge with commit message
git merge feature-x -m "Merge feature-x into main"

# No fast-forward merge (always create merge commit)
git merge --no-ff feature-x

# Fast-forward only (fail if not possible)
git merge --ff-only feature-x

# Squash merge (combine all commits into one)
git merge --squash feature-x
git commit -m "Add feature-x"

Handling Conflicts

# View conflict markers in files
# <<<<<<< HEAD
# Your changes
# =======
# Their changes
# >>>>>>> feature-x

# After resolving conflicts
git add resolved-file.txt
git commit                                       # Completes the merge

# Abort merge
git merge --abort

# Use specific version during conflict
git checkout --ours file.txt                     # Keep current branch version
git checkout --theirs file.txt                   # Keep incoming branch version

Rebasing

Basic Rebase

# Rebase current branch onto main
git rebase main

# Rebase onto specific branch
git rebase origin/main

# Interactive rebase (edit/squash/reorder commits)
git rebase -i HEAD~3                             # Last 3 commits
git rebase -i main                               # All commits since branching from main

# Continue after resolving conflicts
git rebase --continue

# Abort rebase
git rebase --abort

# Skip current commit during rebase
git rebase --skip

Interactive Rebase Commands

pick   = use commit
reword = use commit, but edit commit message
edit   = use commit, but stop for amending
squash = use commit, but meld into previous commit
fixup  = like squash, but discard commit message
drop   = remove commit

Remote Repositories

Managing Remotes

# List remotes
git remote
git remote -v                                    # With URLs

# Add remote
git remote add origin https://github.com/user/repo.git
git remote add upstream https://github.com/original/repo.git

# Remove remote
git remote remove origin

# Rename remote
git remote rename origin upstream

# Change remote URL
git remote set-url origin https://github.com/user/new-repo.git

# Show remote details
git remote show origin

Fetching and Pulling

Fetch

# Fetch from default remote
git fetch

# Fetch from specific remote
git fetch origin

# Fetch specific branch
git fetch origin main

# Fetch all remotes
git fetch --all

# Fetch and prune deleted remote branches
git fetch --prune
git fetch -p                                     # Shorthand

Pull

# Pull (fetch + merge)
git pull
git pull origin main

# Pull with rebase instead of merge
git pull --rebase
git pull -r                                      # Shorthand

# Set pull to always rebase
git config --global pull.rebase true

# Pull specific branch
git pull origin feature-x

Pushing

# Push current branch
git push

# Push to specific remote and branch
git push origin main

# Push and set upstream
git push -u origin feature-x
git push --set-upstream origin feature-x

# Push all branches
git push --all

# Push tags
git push --tags
git push origin v1.0.0                           # Push specific tag

# Force push (use with caution!)
git push --force
git push -f                                      # Shorthand

# Force push with lease (safer - fails if remote has new commits)
git push --force-with-lease

# Delete remote branch
git push origin --delete feature-x

Viewing History

Git Log

# Basic log
git log
git log --oneline                                # Compact view
git log --oneline -10                            # Last 10 commits

# Graph view
git log --graph
git log --graph --oneline --all                  # Full branch graph

# With file changes
git log --stat                                   # Files changed
git log -p                                       # Full diff

# Filter by author
git log --author="John"

# Filter by date
git log --since="2024-01-01"
git log --after="2024-01-01"
git log --until="2024-06-01"
git log --since="2 weeks ago"

# Filter by message
git log --grep="bug fix"

# Filter by file
git log -- path/to/file.txt
git log -p -- path/to/file.txt                   # With diffs

# Custom format
git log --pretty=format:"%h %an %s"
git log --pretty=format:"%h - %an, %ar : %s"

Other History Commands

# Show specific commit
git show abc1234
git show HEAD~2                                  # 2 commits ago

# Who changed each line
git blame file.txt
git blame -L 10,20 file.txt                      # Lines 10-20

# Reference log (all HEAD movements)
git reflog
git reflog show feature-x                        # For specific branch

Diff and Comparison

# Working directory vs staging area
git diff

# Staging area vs last commit
git diff --staged
git diff --cached                                # Same as --staged

# Working directory vs last commit
git diff HEAD

# Between commits
git diff abc1234 def5678
git diff HEAD~3 HEAD                             # Last 3 commits

# Between branches
git diff main feature-x
git diff main...feature-x                        # Changes since branches diverged

# Specific file
git diff -- file.txt
git diff main feature-x -- file.txt

# Show only file names
git diff --name-only
git diff --name-status                           # With change type (A/M/D)

# Word diff
git diff --word-diff

# Stat summary
git diff --stat

Stashing

# Save changes to stash
git stash
git stash push -m "Work in progress"             # With message

# List stashes
git stash list

# Apply most recent stash (keep in stash)
git stash apply

# Apply and remove from stash
git stash pop

# Apply specific stash
git stash apply stash@{2}
git stash pop stash@{2}

# Show stash contents
git stash show                                   # Summary
git stash show -p                                # Full diff
git stash show stash@{1} -p

# Stash including untracked files
git stash -u
git stash --include-untracked

# Stash only staged changes
git stash --staged

# Create branch from stash
git stash branch feature-x stash@{0}

# Drop stash
git stash drop stash@{0}

# Clear all stashes
git stash clear

Tagging

# List tags
git tag
git tag -l "v1.*"                                # Filter by pattern

# Create lightweight tag
git tag v1.0.0

# Create annotated tag (recommended)
git tag -a v1.0.0 -m "Release version 1.0.0"

# Tag specific commit
git tag -a v1.0.0 abc1234 -m "Release version 1.0.0"

# Show tag details
git show v1.0.0

# Push tags to remote
git push origin v1.0.0                           # Single tag
git push --tags                                  # All tags

# Delete local tag
git tag -d v1.0.0

# Delete remote tag
git push origin --delete v1.0.0
git push origin :refs/tags/v1.0.0

# Checkout tag
git checkout v1.0.0                              # Detached HEAD
git checkout -b hotfix-v1 v1.0.0                 # New branch from tag

Undoing Changes

Working Directory

# Discard changes in working directory
git restore file.txt
git checkout -- file.txt                         # Old syntax

# Discard all changes
git restore .
git checkout -- .                                # Old syntax

Staging Area

# Unstage file (keep changes)
git restore --staged file.txt
git reset HEAD file.txt                          # Old syntax

# Unstage all files
git restore --staged .
git reset HEAD                                   # Old syntax

Commits

# Undo last commit (keep changes staged)
git reset --soft HEAD~1

# Undo last commit (keep changes unstaged)
git reset HEAD~1
git reset --mixed HEAD~1                         # Same as above

# Undo last commit (discard changes)
git reset --hard HEAD~1

# Reset to specific commit
git reset --hard abc1234

# Create new commit that undoes previous commit
git revert abc1234
git revert HEAD                                  # Revert last commit
git revert HEAD~3..HEAD                          # Revert last 3 commits

# Revert merge commit
git revert -m 1 <merge-commit>

Recovery

# Find lost commits
git reflog

# Recover deleted branch
git checkout -b recovered-branch abc1234

# Recover to previous state
git reset --hard HEAD@{5}

Cherry-picking

# Apply specific commit to current branch
git cherry-pick abc1234

# Cherry-pick without committing
git cherry-pick --no-commit abc1234
git cherry-pick -n abc1234                       # Shorthand

# Cherry-pick multiple commits
git cherry-pick abc1234 def5678

# Cherry-pick range
git cherry-pick abc1234..def5678                 # Excludes abc1234
git cherry-pick abc1234^..def5678                # Includes abc1234

# Abort cherry-pick
git cherry-pick --abort

# Continue after resolving conflicts
git cherry-pick --continue

Submodules

# Add submodule
git submodule add https://github.com/user/repo.git path/to/submodule

# Initialize submodules after clone
git submodule init
git submodule update
git submodule update --init                      # Combined

# Clone with submodules
git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/user/repo.git

# Update all submodules
git submodule update --remote

# Remove submodule
git submodule deinit path/to/submodule
git rm path/to/submodule
rm -rf .git/modules/path/to/submodule

Worktrees

# List worktrees
git worktree list

# Add new worktree
git worktree add ../hotfix hotfix-branch
git worktree add -b new-feature ../feature       # Create new branch

# Remove worktree
git worktree remove ../hotfix

# Prune stale worktrees
git worktree prune

Searching

# Search file contents
git grep "pattern"
git grep -n "pattern"                            # With line numbers
git grep -c "pattern"                            # Count matches per file

# Search in specific commit
git grep "pattern" abc1234

# Search commit messages
git log --grep="bug fix"

# Search changes (pickaxe)
git log -S "function_name"                       # Commits that add/remove string
git log -G "regex_pattern"                       # Commits matching regex in diff

# Find commit that introduced bug
git bisect start
git bisect bad                                   # Current commit is bad
git bisect good abc1234                          # Known good commit
# Test and mark each commit as good/bad
git bisect good                                  # or: git bisect bad
git bisect reset                                 # When done

Aliases

# Create aliases
git config --global alias.co checkout
git config --global alias.br branch
git config --global alias.ci commit
git config --global alias.st status

# Useful aliases
git config --global alias.unstage 'reset HEAD --'
git config --global alias.last 'log -1 HEAD'
git config --global alias.visual '!gitk'
git config --global alias.lg "log --graph --oneline --all"
git config --global alias.amend 'commit --amend --no-edit'

# Use alias
git co main                                      # Same as: git checkout main
git lg                                           # Pretty graph log

Useful One-Liners

# List files changed between branches
git diff --name-only main feature-x

# Count commits by author
git shortlog -sn

# Find large files in history
git rev-list --objects --all | git cat-file --batch-check='%(objecttype) %(objectname) %(objectsize) %(rest)' | sed -n 's/^blob //p' | sort -rnk2 | head -20

# Remove untracked files
git clean -fd                                    # Files and directories
git clean -fdn                                   # Dry run (preview)

# Sync fork with upstream
git fetch upstream && git merge upstream/main

# Squash last N commits
git reset --soft HEAD~N && git commit

# Find commits not yet merged to main
git log main..feature-x --oneline

# Show files in a commit
git show --name-only abc1234

# Blame with ignoring whitespace
git blame -w file.txt

# List all contributors
git log --format='%aN' | sort -u

Common Workflows

Feature Branch Workflow

# Start new feature
git checkout main
git pull origin main
git checkout -b feature/new-feature

# Work on feature
git add .
git commit -m "Add new feature"

# Keep up to date with main
git fetch origin
git rebase origin/main

# Push and create PR
git push -u origin feature/new-feature

Hotfix Workflow

# Create hotfix branch from production tag
git checkout -b hotfix/critical-fix v1.0.0

# Make fix
git add .
git commit -m "Fix critical bug"

# Merge to main and tag
git checkout main
git merge --no-ff hotfix/critical-fix
git tag -a v1.0.1 -m "Hotfix release"
git push origin main --tags

# Merge to develop
git checkout develop
git merge --no-ff hotfix/critical-fix
git push origin develop

# Delete hotfix branch
git branch -d hotfix/critical-fix

Sync Fork with Upstream

# Add upstream remote (one time)
git remote add upstream https://github.com/original/repo.git

# Sync
git fetch upstream
git checkout main
git merge upstream/main
git push origin main

Tips

Common .gitignore Patterns

# Dependencies
node_modules/
vendor/
__pycache__/

# Build outputs
dist/
build/
*.o
*.exe

# IDE/Editor
.idea/
.vscode/
*.swp
*.swo

# Environment
.env
.env.local
*.log

# OS
.DS_Store
Thumbs.db

Useful Git Configurations

# Prune on fetch automatically
git config --global fetch.prune true

# Push current branch by default
git config --global push.default current

# Auto-setup remote tracking
git config --global push.autoSetupRemote true

# Better diff algorithm
git config --global diff.algorithm histogram

# Reuse recorded resolution
git config --global rerere.enabled true

Performance Tips

# Enable filesystem cache (Windows)
git config --global core.fscache true

# Enable parallel index operations
git config --global index.threads true

# Use sparse checkout for large repos
git sparse-checkout init
git sparse-checkout set path/to/dir