Git Cheatsheet – The Ultimate Guide
Whether you're just getting started with Git or you're a seasoned developer, having a handy cheatsheet saves time and avoids Googling the same commands over and over again. This guide is organized into Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced sections to cover all levels of Git usage.
Basic Git Commands
These commands help you set up a repository and perform everyday version control tasks.
Setup
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"
git config --global init.defaultBranch main
Create or Clone Repository
git init
git clone https://github.com/user/repo.git
Stage & Commit
git status
git add file.txt
git add .
git commit -m "message"
Branching Basics
git branch
git switch main
git switch -c new-feature
git merge main
Useful when working in teams and collaborating via remote repositories.
Remote Repos
git remote -v
git remote add origin URL
git push -u origin main
git push
git pull
git fetch
Working with Files
git rm file.txt
git mv old.txt new.txt
git restore file.txt
git restore --staged file.txt
View History
git log
git log --oneline --graph
git diff
git diff --staged
git blame file.txt
Advanced Git Commands
Commands for rewriting history, debugging, and working with complex workflows.
Rewriting History
git commit --amend
git rebase -i HEAD~3
git reflog
Cleanups & Resets
git stash
git stash pop
git reset HEAD~1
git reset --hard HEAD~1
git clean -fd
Undo Merge or Rebase
git merge --abort
git rebase --abort
Cherry Pick & Bisect
git cherry-pick <commit>
git bisect start
git bisect bad
git bisect good <commit>
git bisect reset
Common Git Bash Aliases for Speed
Typing full Git commands repeatedly can be tedious. These aliases make common tasks faster and easier. Add them to your ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc.
Bash Aliases
alias gs="git status"
alias ga="git add"
alias gaa="git add ."
alias gc="git commit -m"
alias gcm="git commit -m"
alias gsw="git switch"
alias gswc="git switch -c"
alias gb="git branch"
alias gm="git merge"
alias gp="git push"
alias gpl="git pull"
alias gl="git log --oneline --graph --decorate"
alias gd="git diff"
alias gds="git diff --staged"
alias gr="git restore"
alias grs="git restore --staged"
alias gstash="git stash"
alias gpop="git stash pop"
alias grh="git reset --hard"
alias gundo="git reset --soft HEAD~1"
Example Usage
gs
gaa
gcm "msg"
gswc feat-x
Reload the Shell
source ~/.bashrc
Optional: Git Aliases in Git Config
Prefer aliases within Git itself? Add these:
git config --global alias.st status
git config --global alias.ci commit
git config --global alias.sw switch
git config --global alias.br branch
git config --global alias.lg "log --oneline --graph --decorate"
Use them like:
git st
git sw main
git lg
Final Thoughts
This cheatsheet covers the most essential Git commands for day-to-day development and collaboration. As your workflow becomes more advanced, these quick references will help you stay productive and efficient.
Happy coding!
