Toolbox Aid

August 8th, 2024 9:11 AM Mr. Q Categories: github

GitHub is an indispensable tool for developers, enabling collaboration, version control, and seamless code management. Whether you’re working on a personal project or contributing to a large team, understanding the core Git commands is crucial for efficient workflow management. This guide covers 30 of the most commonly used GitHub commands, providing you with the knowledge to navigate repositories, manage branches, and streamline your development process. Each command is accompanied by a detailed description, sample usage, and additional options to enhance your Git skills.

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1. Initialize a Repository

git init
Initializes a new Git repository in the current directory.

$ git init
Initialized empty Git repository in /path/to/repo/.git/

2. Clone a Repository

git clone <repository-url>
Copies an existing Git repository from a remote server to your local machine.

$ git clone https://github.com/user/repo.git
Cloning into 'repo'...
remote: Enumerating objects: 10, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (10/10), done.
Receiving objects: 100% (10/10), done.

3. Check Repository Status

git status
Shows the current state of the working directory and staging area.

$ git status
On branch main
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/main'.

nothing to commit, working tree clean

4. Add Files to Staging Area

git add <file>
Adds files from the working directory to the staging area.

$ git add README.md
$ git status
Changes to be committed:
  (use "git restore --staged <file>..." to unstage)
    new file:   README.md

Additional Arguments:

• git add . – Adds all changes in the current directory.

5. Commit Changes

git commit -m "<message>"
Records changes to the repository with a descriptive message.

$ git commit -m "Initial commit"
[main (root-commit) e5d7f7c] Initial commit
 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 README.md

6. View Commit History

git log
Displays a list of previous commits in reverse chronological order.

$ git log
commit e5d7f7caa57fbc617f39b0c9f84b8cd6e5d7f7c
Author: User <user@example.com>
Date:   Wed Aug 8 14:33:07 2024 +0000

    Initial commit

Additional Arguments:

• git log --oneline – Shows a condensed view of the commit history.

7. View Changes

git diff
Shows changes between the working directory and the staging area, or between commits.

$ git diff
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e69de29..0a73e0b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# Project Title

8. Create a New Branch

git branch <branch-name>
Creates a new branch in the repository.

$ git branch feature-branch
$ git branch
* main
  feature-branch

$ git branch -r
  origin/HEAD -> origin/main
  origin/main
  origin/feature-branch
  origin/bugfix-branch

$ git branch -a
* main
  feature-branch
  bugfix-branch
  remotes/origin/HEAD -> origin/main
  remotes/origin/main
  remotes/origin/feature-branch
  remotes/origin/bugfix-branch

-r : lists branches that exist on the remote repository (origin), including the default branch pointer (HEAD).

-a : shows all branches available locally and on the remote repository. Remote branches are prefixed with remotes/ and reflect the state of the remote repository.

9. Switch to a Branch

git checkout <branch-name>
Switches the working directory to the specified branch.

$ git checkout feature-branch
Switched to branch 'feature-branch'

Additional Arguments:

• git checkout -b <branch-name> – Creates and switches to a new branch in one command.

10. Merge Branches

git merge <branch-name>
Merges changes from the specified branch into the current branch.

$ git checkout main
$ git merge feature-branch
Updating e5d7f7c..a1b2c3d
Fast-forward
 README.md | 1 +
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)

11. Delete a Branch

git branch -d <branch-name>
Deletes the specified branch.

$ git branch -d feature-branch
Deleted branch feature-branch (was a1b2c3d).

12. Push Changes

git push
Uploads local repository content to a remote repository.

$ git push origin main
Enumerating objects: 5, done.
Counting objects: 100% (5/5), done.
Writing objects: 100% (3/3), 255 bytes | 255.00 KiB/s, done.
Total 3 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0)
To https://github.com/user/repo.git
   e5d7f7c..a1b2c3d  main -> main

13. Pull Changes

git pull
Fetches changes from a remote repository and merges them into the current branch.

$ git pull origin main
Already up to date.

14. Set Remote Repository

git remote add origin <repository-url>
Associates a local repository with a remote one.

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

15. List Remote Repositories

git remote -v
Displays the list of remote repositories associated with the local repository.

$ git remote -v
origin  https://github.com/user/repo.git (fetch)
origin  https://github.com/user/repo.git (push)

16. Remove a Remote

git remote remove <name>
Removes the specified remote repository association.

$ git remote remove origin
$ git remote -v

17. Stash Changes

git stash
Temporarily saves changes in the working directory that are not yet ready to be committed.

$ git stash
Saved working directory and index state WIP on main: e5d7f7c Initial commit

18. Apply Stash

git stash apply
Restores the most recently stashed changes.

$ git stash apply
On branch main
Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)

modified:   README.md

19. List Stashes

git stash list
Shows a list of all stashed changes.

$ git stash list
stash@{0}: WIP on main: e5d7f7c Initial commit

20. Create a Tag

git tag <tag-name>
Creates a tag in the repository.

$ git tag v1.0
$ git tag
v1.0

21. Push Tags

git push origin <tag-name>
Uploads tags to the remote repository.

$ git push origin v1.0

22. Show Commit Information

git show <commit>
Displays detailed information about a specific commit.

$ git show e5d7f7c
commit e5d7f7caa57fbc617f39b0c9f84b8cd6e5d7f7c
Author: User <user@example.com>
Date:   Wed Aug 8 14:33:07 2024 +0000

    Initial commit

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29

23. Revert a Commit

git revert <commit>
Creates a new commit that undoes the changes made by the specified commit.

$ git revert e5d7f7c
[main a1b2c3d] Revert "Initial commit"
 1 file changed, 10 deletions(-)

24. Reset to a Previous Commit

git reset --hard <commit>
Resets the working directory, staging area, and current branch to the specified commit.

$ git reset --hard e5d7f7c
HEAD is now at e5d7f7c Initial commit

25. Rebase Branch

git rebase <branch>
Reapplies commits from the current branch on top of another base branch.

$ git checkout feature-branch
$ git rebase main
First, rewinding head to replay your work on top of it...
Applying: Initial commit

26. Cherry-Pick a Commit

git cherry-pick <commit>
Applies the changes from a specific commit into the current branch.

$ git cherry-pick e5d7f7c
[feature-branch a1b2c3d] Initial commit
 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+)

27. Create an Alias

git config --global alias.<alias-name> <command>
Creates a shortcut for a Git command.

$ git config --global alias.co checkout
$ git co main
Switched to branch 'main'

28. Amend the Last Commit

git commit --amend
Modifies the most recent commit with any currently staged changes or to edit the commit message.

$ git commit --amend -m "Updated commit message"
[main e5d7f7c] Updated commit message
 Date: Wed Aug 8 14:33:07 2024 +0000
 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+)

29. View the Commit Graph

git log --graph
Shows a graphical representation of the commit history.

$ git log --graph --oneline
* a1b2c3d (HEAD -> main) Revert "Initial commit"
* e5d7f7c Initial commit

Additional Arguments:

• git log --graph --all --decorate --oneline – Displays a more detailed commit graph with all branches.

30. Clean Untracked Files

git clean -f
Removes untracked files from the working directory.

$ git clean -f
Removing untracked-file.txt

Additional Arguments:

• git clean -fd – Removes untracked files and directories.
• git clean -f -n – Performs a dry run to show what would be removed without actually deleting anything.

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Mastering GitHub commands is vital for anyone involved in software development. This guide has introduced 30 essential Git commands, from initializing a repository to cleaning untracked files. By understanding these commands, you can efficiently manage your code, collaborate with others, and maintain a clean and organized project history. Whether you’re new to GitHub or looking to refine your skills, this guide serves as a valuable resource for mastering version control.