LobsterTrap Git Cheatsheet
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
Additional Resources
For detailed information about Git hooks (client-side and server-side), see git-hooks.md.