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Ahmed Niazy
Ahmed Niazy

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Git: 50 Essential Commands for Everyday Workflow

#webdev #github #git #netlify

Git is a distributed version control system (DVCS) created by Linus Torvalds in 2005 to manage the Linux kernel’s source code. Unlike centralized systems, Git keeps a complete history of your project on every developer’s machine, making it easy to revert, branch, and merge changes no matter your workflow.

Below is a reorganized, step-by-step guide to the 50 Git commands you’ll use most often, grouped by category. You’ll find concise explanations, usage examples, and tips so you can copy-and-paste as you learn.

📋 1. Configuration

Before you start, tell Git who you are:

# View all settings (name, email, cache, editor, etc.) git config -l # Set your name (appears in commits) git config --global user.name "Your Name" # Set your email (appears in commits) git config --global user.email "you@example.com" # Cache HTTPS credentials (default: 15 minutes) git config --global credential.helper cache # Change the cache timeout (in seconds), e.g., 1 hour: git config --global credential.helper 'cache --timeout=3600'
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🌱 2. Creating a Repository

Initialize a new project:

# In your project folder, start tracking with Git git init
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➕ 3. Staging Changes

Prepare your work for committing:

# Add ONE file git add filename.txt # Add ALL files (new, modified, deleted) git add . # Add only files matching a pattern, e.g., all “app-” files git add app-* # Interactive staging: choose hunks to stage git add -p
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✔️ 4. Checking Status & Differences

Inspect what you’ve modified:

# Show staged vs. unstaged vs. untracked git status # Show unstaged changes in working directory git diff # Show staged changes ready to commit git diff --staged # Show changes for a specific file git diff path/to/file.py
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💾 5. Committing

Record your changes in project history:

# Open your editor to write a multi-line message git commit # One-line commit message git commit -m "Short summary of changes" # Stage AND commit modified files in one go git commit -a -m "Fix typo in README"
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📜 Viewing Commit History 

# Simple log git log # Log with patch (diffs) git log -p # Log with stats (lines and file names changed) git log --stat # One-line, ASCII graph of commits git log --graph --oneline
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🔍 Inspecting a Single Commit 

# Show full details of a specific commit git show <commit-hash>
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🔄 6. Undoing & Amending 

# Revert unstaged changes in working directory git checkout -- filename.txt # Unstage a file (keep working-dir changes) git reset HEAD filename.txt # Unstage interactively git reset -p # Amend last commit (modify message or include new changes) git commit --amend # Create a “reverting” commit that undoes a specific commit git revert <commit-hash> # Roll back latest commit by reverting HEAD git revert HEAD
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⚠️ Caution: Avoid --amend on commits you’ve already pushed, as rewriting history can confuse collaborators.

🌿 7. Branching & Merging 

# List all local branches git branch # Create a new branch git branch feature/login # Switch to another branch git checkout feature/login # Create + switch in one command git checkout -b feature/signup # Delete a local branch (after merging) git branch -d old-branch # Merge another branch into your current one git merge feature/login # Abort a conflicted merge git merge --abort
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🔗 8. Working with Remotes

Link your local repo to a shared server (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket):

# Add a remote named “origin” git remote add origin https://github.com/you/repo.git # List remote URLs git remote -v # Show detailed info about a remote git remote show origin # Download from remote without merging git fetch # Download + merge (shorthand) git pull # Upload commits to remote git push # Push a new branch and set upstream git push -u origin feature/login # Delete a remote branch git push --delete origin old-branch
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🔄 9. Rebasing (Advanced)

Rebase lets you “replay” commits from one branch onto another:

# Non-interactive rebase onto master git rebase master # Interactive rebase (reorder, squash, edit) git rebase -i master
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Tip: Rebasing gives you a cleaner, linear history—but avoid rebasing public branches.

🎯 10. Miscellaneous Tips 

# View remote-tracking branches git branch -r # Show log of remote main branch git log origin/main # Update all remotes without merging git remote update # Force-push (careful: overwrites remote!) git push -f
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🚀 Conclusion

With these 50 commands, you have a solid foundation to:

  • Configure Git for your identity
  • Stage and commit changes efficiently
  • Branch, merge, and even rebase safely
  • Collaborate using remotes and pull/push workflows

Bookmark this list, try them in a test repo, and soon they’ll become second nature. Happy coding!

Top comments (4)

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nevodavid profile image
Nevo David •

Pretty cool, having all the main commands in one spot honestly makes life easier for me.

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sejutaimpian profile image
Eris Sulistina •

Nice Post!

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muhammedhossam profile image
Muhammed Hossam •

Useful ❤️

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dotallio profile image
Dotallio •

Super helpful breakdown! Cheat sheets like this save me from making silly mistakes, do you have any tricks for dealing with tricky merge conflicts?