Cheat Sheet: git

1. Setup & Configuration

Define your Git identity (required before first commit)

git config --global user.name "John Doe"
git config --global user.email "john@example.com"
Example: Set your name/email to attribute commits correctly.

Starting a Project

Clone an existing repository:

git clone https://github.com/username/repo.git
Example: Download a project from GitHub to your local machine.

Initialize a new repository:

mkdir my-project && cd my-project  
git init
Example: Start version control for a new app.

Everyday Workflow

Check status of changes:
git status
Example: See which files are modified/staged.

Stage changes for commit:
git add file.txt # Stage a single file git add . # Stage all modified files
Example: Prepare changes to a login feature for saving.

Commit staged changes:
git commit -m "Add user login functionality"
Example: Save a snapshot of your progress with a clear message.

Branching & Merging

Create a new branch:

git branch feature/payment  
git checkout feature/payment  
# Or shortcut:  
git checkout -b feature/payment  
Example: Develop a payment system without disrupting the main code.

Merge branches:

git checkout main  
git merge feature/payment  
Example: Integrate the completed payment feature into the main app.

List all branches:
git branch
Switch branches:
git checkout main
Delete a branch:
git branch -d feature/payment

Remote Repositories

Push changes to GitHub/GitLab:

git push origin main
Example: Upload your latest bug fix to the team’s remote repo.

Pull latest updates:

git pull origin main
Example: Sync your local code with changes made by teammates.

Link a local repo to a remote:

git remote add origin https://github.com/username/repo.git

Undoing Mistakes

Discard unstaged changes:

git restore file.txt
Example: Revert accidental edits to config.yml.

Amend the last commit:

git commit --amend -m "Improved login error handling"
Example: Fix a typo in the previous commit message or add missed files.

Reset to a previous commit:

git reset --hard HEAD~1  # WARNING: Destructive!  
Example: Completely undo a bad commit.

Stashing

Temporarily save uncommitted work:

git stash  
git stash pop            # Restore the stash
Example: Pause work on a feature to fix an urgent bug.

Collaboration

Push local changes to GitHub/GitLab:

git push origin main
Example: Upload your bug fix so the team can access it.

Link local repo to a remote:

git remote add origin https://github.com/user/repo.git

Fetch updates without merging:

git fetch
Example: Check if teammates pushed new code before merging.

View commit history:

git log --oneline --graph
Example: Track who changed the API endpoint last week.

Advanced (But Useful!)

Cherry-pick a commit:

git cherry-pick abc1234
Example: Apply a hotfix from main to a legacy branch.

Manage submodules:

git submodule add https://github.com/library/dependency.git

Example: Include a shared UI component library.

Aliases for Speed

Create shortcuts in ~/.gitconfig:

[alias]  
  co = checkout  
  br = branch  
  ci = commit  
  st = status

Example: Type git st instead of git status!

💡 Pro Tips:

Pro Tips:

Use git diff to see line-by-line changes before committing.
Always test code after pulling and before pushing.
Write clear commit messages (e.g., "Fix navbar overflow bug" not "Update code").

Final Project:

Create a GitHub account.
Make a repo for a mock project (e.g., travel blog).
Practice: Add files, commit, branch, merge, and push!