A quick tutorial of most commonly used git commands

1. Git Quick Tutorial
Pikicast R&D
Jack Pham

2. Git Commands
Setting up a repository init, clone, config
Saving changes add, commit
Inspecting a repository status, log
Navigate through commit and branch checkout
Undo changes checkout, revert, reset, clean
Rewriting history commit —ammend, rebase (rebase -i), reflog
Syncing remote, fetch, pull, push
Branching branch, checkout, merge
* Need to use with caution, should never be done on public(share) target

3. Setup a repository and
start working
init
clone

4. git vs svn

5. Git init
git init
git init --bare
git clone

6. Saving changes
add
commit

7. Git repository local

8. Working Directory Stage Area
File status
git add
git add
git commit
git rm
Tracked

9. Common Git Routine (Local)
- Edit-Stage-Commit
$vim hello.js
# Edit
$ git add hello.js
$ git commit
# Edit commit message
- Edit-Stage-Commit-Amend
# Edit hello.js
$ git add hello.js
$ git commit --amend
# Edit commit message
** Don’t amend commit that you already push to public repository

10. Viewing old commits
log
checkout

11. View log
$ git log
$ git log -n <limit>
$ git log --oneline
$ git log --stat
$ git log -p
$ git log --author=“<patterns>”
$ git log <file>
$ git log --graph --decorate --oneline
$ git log --grep=“<patterns>”

12. git checkout branch
git checkout master git checkout feature

13. git checkout commit
git checkout master
git checkout 81abc12
** Don’t commit your work on a detach head

14. Checkout options
git checkout <branch>
git checkout <commit>
git checkout <commit> <file>
Example:
git checkout master
git checkout a12ebd3
git checkout a12ebd3 hello.js

15. Undoing changes
checkout
revert
reset

16. git checkout to undo
git checkout a1e8fb5 # modify files
git add <file>
git commit

17. git revert <commit>
git revert abcd12ef
Before revert
After revert
abcd12ef
- The git revert command undoes a committed snapshot.
- Undo the changes introduced by the commit
- Appends a new commit with the resulting content.
- git revert doesn't alter history

18. git reset
abcd12ef abcd12ef
Before reset
After reset
- Variation:
- git reset <file> : remove from staging area
- git reset : reset branch to most recent commit (soft)
- git reset ——hard
- git reset <commit>
- git reset ——hard <commit>
- git revert is “safe” way to undo
- git reset “dangerous” to undo
** Don’t reset if you’ve already pushed to shared repository

19. revert vs reset
- Don’t alter history
- Safe way to undo but generate
more commit
- For undo shared/public commits
- Alter history
- unsafe way to undo
shared/public commits
- Cleaner history
- For undo private (non-public)
commits

20. Rewriting History
commit --amend
reflog
rebase

21. git commit --amend
- Modify last commit
- Replace last commit entirely
- Use to fix last commit (which hasn't pushed
to share repo)
- Variation
- git commit --amend
- git commit --amend --no-edit
** Don’t amend commit that you already push to public repository

22. git rebase <base>
- Rebasing is the process of moving a
branch to a new base commit.
- Maintain linear history
git rebase
git merge

23. git reflog
- What to do if you accidentally
- git reset --hard
- Reflog contain log of activity you perform

24. Remote synchronise
and branching
remote
pull
fetch
push
branch
merge

25. git remote
git remote
git remote -v
git remote add <name> <url>
git remote rm <name>
git remote rename <oldname> <new-name>

26. git fetch
- Download commits from remote but not merge to
local
- Give you opportunity to review
- Merge or rebase after review
git fetch <remote>
git fetch <remote> <branch>

27. git pull
git fetch
git merge
git pull = git fetch + git merge
git pull --rebase = git fetch + git rebase
- Download commits from remote and
merge (or rebase) to local branch

28. git push
transfer commits from your local
repository to a remote repo.
git push <remote>
git push <remote> —force
git push <remote> -all
git push <remote> --tags
** Do not use the --force flag unless you’re absolutely sure you know
what you’re doing.

29. git branch
Represented by a pointer (branch tip)
git branch
git branch <branch>
git branch -d <branch>
git branch -D <branch>
git branch -m <branch>

30. git merge
Putting forked history back together
git branch -m <branch>
git branch --no-ff <branch>
fast-forward
(git does this whenever possible)
non-fast-forward (3-ways merge)
(probably after rebase)

31. Cleaner history
- Private branch: rebase & fast-forward merge
- Share: 3-way merge
- Atomic commit and meaningful message
- Good naming convention

32. Staying out of troubles
- Don’t amend commit that you already shared
repository
- Don’t commit your work on a detached head
- Don’t reset if you’ve already pushed to shared
repository
- Don’t use the ‘push --force’ flag unless you’re
absolutely sure you know what you’re doing.