Git

Git

Look before you leap: git status and git log --oneline -5 before any destructive action.

Inspect

git status
git diff                 # unstaged changes
git diff --staged        # staged changes
git log --oneline -10
git log --oneline --graph --all -20

Branch & commit

git switch -c feature/x          # create + switch (modern; = checkout -b)
git add -p                       # stage hunks interactively
git commit -m "message"
git switch main && git merge feature/x

Undo safely (most common rescues)

git restore <file>               # discard unstaged changes to a file
git restore --staged <file>      # unstage (keep changes)
git commit --amend               # fix the last commit message/contents (only if unpushed)
git reset --soft HEAD~1          # undo last commit, KEEP changes staged
git revert <sha>                 # safe undo of a pushed commit (new commit)
git reflog                       # find "lost" commits after a bad reset

Merge conflicts

git status                       # see conflicted files
# edit files, remove <<<<<<< ======= >>>>>>> markers, keep the right code
git add <file> && git commit     # (or: git rebase --continue)
git merge --abort                # bail out and start over

Guidance

• Prefer git revert over git reset --hard for anything already pushed/shared.
• reset --hard and clean -fd are destructive — confirm the branch and stash first (git stash).
• Write small, focused commits with imperative messages ("Add X", not "added X").
• When unsure where you are: git status, git branch, git reflog orient you.