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Git Commit

Last Updated : 01 Oct, 2025
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Git commit is a core Git command used to save changes from the staging area into the repository’s history. Each commit acts as a snapshot of your project at a particular point in time, allowing you to track, review, and revert changes if needed. Think of it as saving your work in Git.

  • When we run git commit, Git takes whatever is currently staged and writes that snapshot into the repository, along with metadata (author, timestamp, parent commit, message).
  • The working directory and staging area remain; we can continue making further changes.

How to Use Git commit

1. Commit with a Message

git commit -m "Initial commit"
  • Saves staged changes with the provided message.
  • Messages should be concise but descriptive.

2. Commit All Changes at Once

git commit -a -m "Update all tracked files"
  • Automatically stages modified and deleted tracked files before committing.
  • Note: Does not include untracked files—you still need git add for those.

3. Amend Last Commit

git commit --amend -m "Updated commit message"
  • Modify the last commit’s message or add new staged changes.
  • Useful for correcting mistakes in the most recent commit.

4. Commit Interactively

git commit -p
  • Allows you to commit changes hunk by hunk, giving fine-grained control over commits.
git commit

Common Options with git commit

OptionDescription
-mAdd a commit message inline
-aAutomatically stage modified and deleted tracked files
--amendModify the last commit
-pCommit interactively by hunk
--dry-runShow what would be committed without actually committing

working with Git Commit

1. Understanding Commits and HEAD

  • Each commit is a node; HEAD points to the latest commit.
  • Commits form a right-to-left singly linked list: new commits point to previous ones, and HEAD moves to the newest commit.

2. Git Commit Flags

Git provides several flags to customize commits:

  • git commit -m "commit message": Creates a commit with the given commit message.
  • git commit -a: Automatically stages all tracked files that have been modified and commits them.
  • git commit -am "commit message": Combines the above two; stages all tracked files and commits with a message in a single command.

3. Handling Modifications After a Commit

  • Modify files - git add - git commit.
  • View changes: git show.
  • View history: git log.

Shows a running record of all commits.

4. Amending a Commit

To fix the last commit without adding a new history:

git commit --amend -m "new message"



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