Git Cheat Sheet for Hacktoberfest

Hacktoberfest is upon us. Here is a git cheat sheet that you can keep handy for your future hackings:

0. Git Configuration

Main article: Seven Git Configs to Set When Moving to a New Machine

When starting with git for the first time (on a new machine), there are a few configs you should set.

# set name and email
git config --global user.name "Mohammad-Ali A'râbi"
git config --global user.email "my-name-at-work@employer.com"

# set default branch name
git config --global init.defaultBranch master

# set rebase the default pull policy
git config --global pull.rebase true

# set to auto-stash upon rebase(/pull)
git config --global rebase.autoStash true

# set to default branch name upon push
git config --global push.default current

For the default branch name, main is gaining more popularity replacing the good old master. Alternatives are trunk and develop, so feel free.

We will also get into stashing in a bit.

1. Basic Git Workflow

These commands are the bread and butter of working with Git. They help you interact with the repository and manage your working directory.

Cloning a Repository

Clone a remote repository to your local machine.

git clone <repository-url>

You can copy the repository URL from the repo's GitHub/GitLab page.

Check Repository Status

Check the status of your working directory.

git status

This command shows which files are changes, which ones are added for committing, etc.

Adding Changes

Stage changes (add files to the staging area) before committing.

git add <file-name>

I will skip the command for "staging all changes" as that's a bad practice.

Commit Changes

Main article: Ten Commandments of Git Commit Messages

After staging, commit changes with a meaningful message.

git commit -m "Commit message"

Viewing Commit History

Check your commit history.

git log

For a simpler, one-line format:

git log --oneline

Push Changes to Remote

Push committed changes to the remote repository.

git push

2. Branching and Merging

Main article: 7 Tips to Work with Branches on Git

Branching allows you to work on different parts of your project independently. Here's how to manage branches:

Create a New Branch

Create a new branch for your feature or bug fix.

git switch -c <branch-name>

If you just want to create the new branch and don't want to switch to it:

git branch -c <branch-name>

Switch to Another Branch

Main article: Git Commands to Use Instead of Checkout

git switch <branch-name>

List All Branches

See all branches in your repository.

git branch

Merge a Branch

Merge changes from one branch into your current branch.

git merge <branch-name>

Delete a Branch

Once a branch is no longer needed, you can delete it.

# Locally
git branch -d <branch-name>

# Remotely
git push origin --delete <branch-name>

3. Stashing Changes

Stashing temporarily stores your changes without committing them.

Save Changes to a Stash

If you're working on something and want to switch branches without committing:

git stash

Apply Stash

To retrieve your changes later:

git stash apply

List Stashed Changes

If you have multiple stashes, you can see them with:

git stash list

Final Words

The following articles should also be useful:

• 16 Git Tips and Tricks
• 17 Git Best Practices