Git Cheat Sheet

Install Git

• Mac OS (Download from https://git-scm.com/download/mac)
• Windows (Download from https://git-scm.com/download/win)
• Linux/Unix (Download from https://git-scm.com/download/linux)

Or you could install with command line:

• For Mac OS

$ git --version

• For Linux/Unix

$ sudo dnf install git-all

or 

$ sudo dnf install git-all

Configure Tooling

Configure user information for all local repositories

• Sets the name you want attached to your commit transactions

$ git config --global user.name "[name]"

• Sets the email you want attached to your commit transactions

$ git config --global user.email "[email address]"

• Enables helpful colorization of command line output

$ git config --global color.ui auto

Create Repositories

Start a new repository or obtain one from an existing URL

• Creates a new local repository with the specified name

$ git init [project-name]

• Downloads a project and its entire version history

$ git clone [url]

Make Changes

Review edits and craft a commit transaction

• Lists all new or modified files to be committed

$ git status

• Shows file differences not yet staged

$ git diff

• Snapshots the file in preparation for versioning

$ git add [file]

• Shows file differences between staging and the last file version

$ git diff --staged

• Unstages the file, but preserve its contents

$ git reset [file]

• Records file snapshots permanently in version history

$ git commit -m "[descriptive message]"

Group Changes

Name a series of commits and combine completed efforts

• Lists all local branches in the current repository

$ git branch

• Creates a new branch

$ git branch [branch-name]

• Switches to the specified branch and updates the working directory

$ git checkout [branch-name]

• Combines the specified branch’s history into the current branch

$ git merge [branch]

• Deletes the specified branch

$ git branch -d [branch-name]

Refactor Filenames

Relocate and remove versioned files

• Deletes the file from the working directory and stages the deletion

$ git rm [file]

• Removes the file from version control but preserves the file locally

$ git rm --cached [file]

• Changes the file name and prepares it for commit

$ git mv [file-original] [file-renamed]

Suppress Tracking

Exclude temporary files and paths

• A text file named .gitignore suppresses accidental versioning of files and paths matching the specified patterns

$ *.log
$ build/
$ temp-*

• Lists all ignored files in this project

$ git ls-files --other --ignored --exclude-standard

Save Fragments

Shelve and restore incomplete changes

• Temporarily stores all modified tracked files

$ git stash

• Restores the most recently stashed files

$ git stash pop

• Lists all stashed changesets

$ git stash list

• Discards the most recently stashed changeset

$ git stash drop

Review History

Browse and inspect the evolution of project files

• Lists version history for the current branch

$ git log

• Lists version history for a file, including renames

$ git log --follow [file]

• Shows content differences between two branches

$ git diff [first-branch]...[second-branch]

• Outputs metadata and content changes of the specified commit

$ git show [commit]

Redo Commits

Erase mistakes and craft replacement history

• Undoes all commits after [commit], preserving changes locally

$ git reset [commit]

• Discards all history and changes back to the specified commit

$ git reset --hard [commit]

Synchronize Changes

Register a repository bookmark and exchange version history

• Downloads all history from the repository bookmark

$ git fetch [bookmark]

• Combines bookmark’s branch into current local branch

$ git merge [bookmark]/[branch]

• Uploads all local branch commits to GitHub

$ git push [alias] [branch]

• Downloads bookmark history and incorporates changes

$ git pull