Git Basics

Setup

# Check git version
git --version
# Set username and email
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "youremail@mail.com"
# Set default branch as main
git config --global init.defaultBranch main
# Set automatic command line colouring for git
git config --global color.ui auto
# List all global git config variables
git config --list
# ssh setup
# Add id_ed25519.pub as ssh key on Github
# Path in Linux : ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
# Path in Windows : /c/Users/you/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "youremail@mail.com"
# OR
# Store credentials
git config --global credential.helper store

Start

# Create a local git repository
cd [path]
git init

Stage and Snapshot

# Check the status of a repository. (View unstaged, staged and modified files)
git status
# Add a file from working area to staging area
git add [path]
# Create a snapshot of your staged changes
git commit -m "[descriptive message]"
# Change the commit message of last commit
git commit --amend -m "[new message]"
# Display the difference of what is changed but not staged 
git diff
# Display the difference of what is staged but not commited
git diff --staged
# Unstage a file while retaining the changes in working directory
git reset [file]

Branch & Merge

# List your branches
git branch
# Create a new branch at the current commit
git branch [branch_name]
# Switch to another branch
git checkout [branch_name]
# Create and swtich to the branch
git checkout -b [branch_name]
# Merge the specified branch's history into the current one
git merge [branch_name]
# Show commit history of current branch
git log

Remote repositories

# Clone a remote repository
git clone [url]
# Fetch the meta-data of remote repository
git fetch
# Transmit local changes to remote repository
git push
# Fetch and merge any commits from the remote branch
git pull

Rewrite history

# Apply commits of current branch ahead of specified one
git rebase [branch_name]
# Reset to a specified commit and clear the staging area
git reset --hard [commit]
# Reset to a specified commit without clearing the staging area
git reset --soft [commit]

Ignoring patterns

# Add files that you want to ignore in .gitignore file
*.txt
node_modules

Temporary commits

# Save modified and staged changes
git stash
# List stashes
git stash list
# Apply changes from top stash stack
git stash apply
# Drop changes from top stash stack
git stash drop
# Apply and drop from top stash stack
git stash pop

Common Commit Message Types

Extras