Git Cheat Sheet
Getting Started
Start a new repo:
git init Clone an existing repo:
git clone <url> Prepare to Commit
Add untracked file or unstaged changes:
git add <file> Add all untracked files and unstaged changes:
git add . Choose which parts of a file to stage:
git add -p Move file:
git mv <old> <new> Delete file:
git rm <file> Tell Git to forget about a file without deleting it:
git rm --cached <file> Unstage one file:
git reset <file> Unstage everything:
git reset Check what you added:
git status Make Commits
Make a commit (and open text editor to write message):
git commit Make a commit:
git commit -m 'message' Commit all unstaged changes:
git commit -am 'message' Move Between Branches
Switch branches:
git switch <name> OR git checkout <name> Create a branch:
git switch -c <name> OR git checkout -b <name> List branches:
git branch List branches by most recently committed to:
git branch --sort=-committerdate Delete a branch:
git branch -d <name> Force delete a branch:
git branch -D <name> Diff Staged/Unstaged Changes
Diff all staged and unstaged changes:
git diff HEAD Diff just staged changes:
git diff --staged Diff just unstaged changes:
git diff Diff Commits
Show diff between a commit and its parent:
git show <commit> Diff two commits:
git diff <commit> <commit> Diff one file since a commit:
git diff <commit> <file> Show a summary of a diff:
git diff <commit> --stat git show <commit> --stat Ways to refer to a commit
Every time we say <commit>, you can use any of these:
- a branch
- main
- a tag
- v0.1
- a commit ID
- 3e887ab
- a remote branch
- origin/main
- current commit
- HEAD
- 3 commits ago
- HEAD^^^ or HEAD~3
Discard Your Changes
Delete unstaged changes to one file:
git restore <file> OR git checkout <file> Delete all staged and unstaged changes to one file:
git restore --staged --worktree <file> OR git checkout HEAD <file> Delete all staged and unstaged changes:
git reset --hard Delete untracked files:
git clean 'Stash' all staged and unstaged changes:
git stash Edit History
"Undo" the most recent commit (keep your working directory the same):
git reset HEAD^ Squash the last 5 commits into one:
git rebase -i HEAD~6 Then change "pick" to "fixup" for any commit you want to combine with the previous one
Undo a failed rebase:
git reflog BRANCHNAME Then manually find the right commit ID in the reflog, then run:
git reset --hard <commit> Change a commit message (or add a file you forgot):
git commit --amend Code Archaeology
Look at a branch's history:
git log main git log --graph main git log --oneline Show every commit that modified a file:
git log <file> Show every commit that modified a file, including before it was renamed:
git log --follow <file> Find every commit that added or removed some text:
git log -G banana Show who last changed each line of a file:
git blame <file> Combine Diverged Branches
Combine with rebase:
git switch banana git rebase main Combine with merge:
git switch main git merge banana Combine with squash merge:
git switch main git merge --squash banana git commit Bring a branch up to date with another branch (aka "fast-forward merge"):
git switch main git merge banana Copy one commit onto the current branch:
git cherry-pick <commit> Restore an Old File
Get the version of a file from another commit:
git checkout <commit> <file> OR git restore <file> --source <commit> Add a Remote
git remote add <name> <url> Push Your Changes
Push the main branch to the remote origin:
git push origin main Push the current branch to its remote "tracking branch":
git push Push a branch that you've never pushed before:
git push -u origin <name> Force push:
git push --force-with-lease Push tags:
git push --tags Pull Changes
Fetch changes (but don't change any of your local branches):
git fetch origin main Fetch changes and then rebase your current branch:
git pull --rebase Fetch changes and then merge them into your current branch:
git pull origin main OR git pull Configure Git
Set a config option:
git config user.name 'Your Name' Set option globally:
git config --global ... Add an alias:
git config alias.st status See all possible config options:
man git-config Important Files
Local git config:
.git/config Global git config:
~/.gitconfig List of files to ignore:
.gitignore