Git Cheatsheet

Git Cheatsheet

Setup

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"
git config --global core.editor "code --wait"
git config --global init.defaultBranch main
git config --list                        # view all config

Starting a Repository

git init                                 # new repo
git init my-project                      # new repo in directory
git clone https://github.com/u/repo.git  # clone remote
git clone https://... my-folder          # clone into custom directory

Daily Workflow

git status                               # working tree status
git status -s                            # short format

git add file.txt                         # stage file
git add .                                # stage everything
git add -p                               # stage interactively (hunk by hunk)

git commit -m "message"
git commit -am "message"                 # stage tracked + commit

git diff                                 # unstaged changes
git diff --staged                        # staged changes

Branches

git branch                               # list local branches
git branch -a                            # list all (incl. remote)
git switch feature/login                 # switch branch
git switch -c feature/login              # create + switch
git branch -d feature/login              # delete (safe)
git branch -D feature/login              # force delete
git branch -m old-name new-name          # rename

Merging and Rebasing

git merge feature/login                  # merge into current branch
git merge --no-ff feature/login          # force merge commit
git merge --abort                        # abort in-progress merge

git rebase main                          # rebase current onto main
git rebase -i HEAD~3                     # interactive rebase last 3
git rebase --continue                    # after resolving conflicts
git rebase --abort                       # cancel rebase

Remotes

git remote -v                            # list remotes
git remote add origin https://...        # add remote
git fetch origin                         # download (no merge)
git pull                                 # fetch + merge
git pull --rebase                        # fetch + rebase

git push origin main                     # push branch
git push -u origin main                  # push + set upstream
git push --force-with-lease              # safe force push (after rebase)
git push origin --delete feature/old     # delete remote branch

History

git log
git log --oneline
git log --oneline --graph
git log --oneline -10
git log --author="Alice"
git log --since="1 week ago"
git log -- file.txt                      # commits touching a file
git show abc1234                         # show a commit
git diff main feature/x                  # diff between branches
git blame file.txt                       # who changed each line

Stash

git stash                                # stash changes
git stash push -m "description"
git stash -u                             # include untracked
git stash list
git stash pop                            # apply + drop
git stash apply stash@{1}               # apply without dropping
git stash drop stash@{1}
git stash clear                          # remove all stashes

Tags

git tag -a v1.0.0 -m "Release 1.0.0"   # annotated tag
git tag v1.0.0                           # lightweight tag
git tag -l                               # list tags
git tag -l "v1.*"                        # filter
git push origin v1.0.0                   # push tag
git push origin --tags                   # push all tags
git tag -d v1.0.0-rc1                   # delete local
git push origin --delete v1.0.0-rc1     # delete remote

Undoing Changes

git restore file.txt                     # discard working tree changes
git restore --staged file.txt            # unstage file
git commit --amend -m "new message"      # change last commit message
git commit --amend --no-edit             # add files to last commit

git revert HEAD                          # safe undo (creates new commit)
git revert abc1234                       # revert specific commit

git reset --soft HEAD~1                  # undo commit, keep staged
git reset --mixed HEAD~1                 # undo commit, keep in working tree
git reset --hard HEAD~1                  # undo commit, LOSE changes

Recovery

git reflog                               # history of HEAD changes
git reset --hard HEAD@{3}               # restore to reflog entry
git switch -c recovery-branch abc1234   # recover lost commit to branch

Useful Shortcuts

git cherry-pick abc1234                  # apply commit to current branch
git bisect start                         # binary search for bug-introducing commit
git clean -fd                            # delete untracked files + dirs
git shortlog -sn                         # commit count per author
git log --all --oneline --graph          # full branch graph

Quick Reference Table

Action	Command
New branch + switch	git switch -c branch-name
Stage all changes	git add .
Amend last commit	git commit --amend
Undo last commit (keep changes)	git reset --soft HEAD~1
Safe force push	git push --force-with-lease
Apply stash	git stash pop
Create annotated tag	git tag -a v1.0.0 -m "msg"
Revert a commit	git revert abc1234
Show file at commit	git show abc1234:path/to/file.txt