Git Cheat Sheet

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 1. Introduction to Git

Definition: Git is a distributed version control system that tracks changes in files and allows multiple people to collaborate on a project.

  • Distributed: Each developer has a full copy of the repository, including its history.

  • Benefits: Keeps track of code history, enables collaboration, allows branching and merging, can revert changes safely.

  • Alternatives: SVN, Mercurial, CVS

2. Git Installation and Setup

🔶 Windows: Git for Windows
🔶 Mac: brew install git
🔶 Linux: sudo apt-get install git OR sudo yum install git

🔶 Configure Git:
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"

🔶 Check Configuration:
git config --list

3. Basic Git Concepts

  • Repository (Repo): A project folder tracked by Git.

  • Working Directory: Your current project files.

  • Staging Area (Index): Temporary area to prepare files for commit.

  • Commit: Snapshot of changes.

  • Branch: Independent line of development.

4. Git Basic Commands (Beginner)

🔶 git init — Initialize repository
🔶 git clone <repo_url> — Clone repository
🔶 git status — Check status
🔶 git add <file_name> — Add file
🔶 git add . — Add all files
🔶 git commit -m "Commit message" — Commit changes
🔶 git log — View history
🔶 git log --oneline --graph --all — Compact history graph
🔶 git diff — Show unstaged changes
🔶 git diff --staged — Show staged changes

5. Branching and Merging (Intermediate)

🔶 git branch <branch_name> — Create branch
🔶 git checkout <branch_name> OR git switch <branch_name> — Switch branch
🔶 git checkout -b <branch_name> OR git switch -c <branch_name> — Create + Switch branch
🔶 git merge <branch_name> — Merge branch
🔶 git branch -d <branch_name> — Delete branch
🔶 git branch -D <branch_name> — Force delete branch

6. Remote Repositories

🔶 git remote add origin <repo_url> — Add remote
🔶 git push -u origin <branch_name> — Push branch
🔶 git pull — Pull changes
🔶 git fetch — Fetch changes
🔶 git remote -v — View remotes

7. Undoing Changes

🔶 git reset HEAD <file> — Unstage file
🔶 git checkout -- <file> — Discard changes in working directory
🔶 git revert <commit_id> — Revert commit
🔶 git reset --hard <commit_id> — Reset to previous commit

8. Git Tags

🔶 git tag <tag_name> — Create tag
🔶 git tag — List tags
🔶 git push origin <tag_name> — Push tag
🔶 git push origin --tags — Push all tags

9. Advanced Git Concepts

🔶 git stash — Save changes
🔶 git stash list — List stashes
🔶 git stash apply — Apply stash
🔶 git stash pop — Apply + remove stash
🔶 git cherry-pick <commit_id> — Apply specific commit
🔶 git rebase <branch_name> — Rebase commits
🔶 git rebase -i HEAD~<n> — Interactive rebase
Resolving Conflicts: Edit conflicting files → git add <file> → commit or continue rebase

10. Git Workflows

🔶 Centralized Workflow: Single shared branch (like main).
🔶 Feature Branch Workflow: Develop features in separate branches.
🔶 Gitflow Workflow: main → production-ready, develop → development (feature, release, hotfix branches).
🔶 Forking Workflow: Fork repo, clone, make PRs for collaboration.

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