Git cheat sheet

Initializes a repository in the current directory

git init  # or with a name
git init myproject

Clones a remote repository locally

Git SSH Permission denied (publickey): what to check →

git clone https://github.com/user/repo.git
# into a specific directory
git clone <url> myfolder
# latest commit only
git clone --depth 1 <url>

Links a local repository to a remote

Git SSH Permission denied (publickey): what to check →

git remote add origin https://github.com/user/repo.git

Shows modified, staged and untracked files

git status
git status -s  # compact output

Adds files to the staging area

git add index.html
git add .  # all changes
git add -p  # interactive, hunk by hunk

Commits staged changes with a message

git commit -m "feat: add login page"
git commit -am "fix: typo"  # stage and commit tracked changes

Edits the last commit message or content

Replaces the last commit. Coordinate before amending a published commit.

git commit --amend -m "new message"
# add forgotten files
git add file.txt && git commit --amend --no-edit

Removes a file from Git’s index; the local file remains. Commit to stop tracking it.

The next commit removes this file from the repository; the local copy remains.

git rm --cached secret.env

Temporarily shelves uncommitted changes

git stash
git stash push -m "wip: login form"

Lists all stashes

git stash list

Applies a stash and removes it only if application succeeds

Check conflicts before continuing. Git retains the stash when application fails.

git stash pop
git stash pop stash@{2}

Applies a stash without removing it

git stash apply stash@{1}

Deletes a specific stash

Deletes the selected stash. Recovery is not guaranteed.

git stash drop stash@{0}

Creates a branch from a stash and applies it

git stash branch feature/login stash@{0}

Lists local branches (-a includes remotes)

git branch
git branch -a

Creates and switches to a new branch

git switch -c feature/auth
# legacy syntax
git checkout -b feature/auth

Switches to an existing branch

git switch main
git switch -  # previous branch

Merges a branch into the current branch

Resolve a Git merge conflict, step by step →

git switch main
git merge feature/auth
git merge --no-ff feature/auth  # preserve merge commits

Rewrites branch history onto a new base

Rewrites commit history. Coordinate before rebasing a shared branch.

Resolve a Git merge conflict, step by step →

git switch feature/auth
git rebase main
git rebase -i HEAD~3  # interactive: squash or reorder

Applies a specific commit to the current branch

Resolve a Git merge conflict, step by step →

git cherry-pick a3f1c2e
git cherry-pick a3f1c2e^..b7d9e0f  # commit range

Deletes a branch only if already merged

git branch -d feature/auth
git branch -D feature/auth  # force deletion

Lists all remotes and URLs

Git SSH Permission denied (publickey): what to check →

git remote -v

Downloads updates without merging

Git SSH Permission denied (publickey): what to check →

git fetch origin
git fetch --all

Fetches and merges the remote branch

Git SSH Permission denied (publickey): what to check →

git pull
git pull --rebase  # with rebase

Pushes commits to the remote

Git SSH Permission denied (publickey): what to check →

git push origin main
git push -u origin feature/auth  # set upstream tracking

Safer force push that fails if remote has new commits

Rewrites remote history. Verify the branch and expected remote state before pushing.

Git SSH Permission denied (publickey): what to check →

git push --force-with-lease

Compact history with branch graph

git log --oneline --graph --decorate
git log -5 --oneline  # latest 5 commits

Finds commits that add or remove a string

git log -S "apiKey" --oneline

Shows who last changed each line of a file

git blame src/main.py
git blame -L 10,20 src/main.py

History of all HEAD movements

Undo a Git commit: reset, revert or restore? →

git reflog
# recover a lost commit
git checkout HEAD@{2}

Discards local unstaged changes

Discards unstaged edits to the selected file. Git may not be able to recover them.

Undo a Git commit: reset, revert or restore? →

git restore index.html
git restore .  # all files

Unstages changes while keeping edits

Undo a Git commit: reset, revert or restore? →

git restore --staged secret.env

Undoes the last commit while keeping changes

The default mixed reset keeps working files but clears staging. --hard also discards tracked edits.

Undo a Git commit: reset, revert or restore? →

git reset --soft HEAD~1  # keep changes staged
git reset HEAD~1  # unstage, keep files
git reset --hard HEAD~1  # DESTROYS local changes

Creates a commit that reverses another commit, safe for remotes

Undo a Git commit: reset, revert or restore? →

git revert a3f1c2e --no-edit

Deletes untracked files and directories, irreversible

Permanently deletes untracked files and directories. Preview with git clean -nd first.

git clean -fdn  # preview
git clean -fd

Changes not staged yet

git diff
git diff src/main.py

Staged changes ready to commit

git diff --staged

Compares two branches

git diff main feature/auth
git diff --name-only main feature/auth

Sets the global user name

git config --global user.name "Enzo"

Sets the global email

git config --global user.email "enzo@example.com"

Creates an alias for a command

# git lg = graphical log
git config --global alias.lg "log --oneline --graph --decorate"

Shows the active configuration

git config --list --show-origin