Git for Beginners

GIT Setup

Configuring user information used across all local repositories.

git config --global user.name "First-Name Last-Name"
Set a name that is identifiable for credit when review version history.

git config --global user.email "Valid-EmailID"
Set an email address that will be associated with each history marker.

git config --global color.ui auto
Set automating command line coloring for Git easy reviewing.

GIT Setup and Initializing

Configuring users information, Initializing and Cloning Repositories

git init
Initializing existing directory as a Git Repository.

git clone [URL]
retrieve an empty repository from a hosted location via URL.

GIT Staging and Snapshots

Working with GIT Snapshots and GIT Staging area.

git status
Show modified files in working directory, stage for your next commit.

git add [filename[s]]
Add a file or files as it looks now to your next commit(stage).

git reset [file]
Unstage a file while retaining changes the changes in working directory.

git diff
diff of what changed but not staged.

git diff --staged
diff of what staged but not yet committed.

git commit -m ["Commit description"]
Commit your staged content as a new commit snapshot.

GIT Branching and Merging

Isolating work in branches, Changing context, and integrating changes.

git branch
list your branches. a * will appear next to the currently active branch.

git branch [branch-name]
create a new branch at the current commit.

git checkout
switch to another branch and check it out into your working directory.

git merge [branch]
merge the specified branch’s history into the current one.

git log
show all commits in the current branch’s history.

GIT INSPECT & COMPARE

Examining logs, diffs and object information

git log
show the commit history for the currently active branch.

git log branchB..branchA
show the commits on branchA that are not on branchB.

git log --follow [file]
show the commits that changed file, even across renames.

git diff branchB...branchA
show the diff of what is in branchA that is not in branchB.

git show [SHA]
show any object in Git in human-readable format.

GIT TRACKING PATH CHANGES

Versioning file removes and path changes.

git rm [file]
delete the file from project and stage the removal for commit.

git mv [existing-path] [new-path]
change an existing file path and stage the move.

git log --stat -M
show all commit logs with indication of any paths that moved.

GIT IGNORING PATTERNS

Preventing unintentional staging or commiting of files.

logs/
*.notes
pattern*/
Save a file with desired paterns as .gitignore with either direct string matches or wildcard globs.

git config --global core.excludesfile [file]
system wide ignore patern for all local repositories.

GIT SHARE & UPDATE

Retrieving updates from another repository and updating local repos.

git remote add [alias] [url]
add a git URL as an alias.

git fetch [alias]
fetch down all the branches from that Git remote.

git merge [alias]/[branch]
merge a remote branch into your current branch to bring it up to date.

git push [alias] [branch]
Transmit local branch commits to the remote repository branch.

git pull
fetch and merge any commits from the tracking remote branch.

GIT REWRITE HISTORY

Rewriting branches, updating commits and clearing history.

git rebase [branch]
apply any commits of current branch ahead of specified one.

git reset --hard [commit]
clear staging area, rewrite working tree from specified commit.

GIT TEMPORARY COMMITS

Temporarily store modified, tracked files in order to change branches.

git stash
Save modified and staged changes.

git stash list
list stack-order of stashed file changes.

git stash pop
write working from top of stash stack.

git stash drop

discard the changes from top of stash stack.