Git & GitHub Cheat Sheet

Command

Description

git config --global user.name "[name]"

Sets the name you want attached to your commit transactions

git config --global user.email "[email address]"

Sets the email you want attached to your commit transactions

$ git config --global color.ui auto

Enables helpful colorization of the command line output

Command

Description

git init

The git init command turns an existing directory into a new Git repository inside the folder you are running this command.

git remote add origin [url]

Specifies the remote repository for your local repository. The url points to a repository on GitHub.

git clone [url]

Clone (download) a repository that already exists on GitHub, including all of the files, branches, and commits

Command

Description

git status

Displays the status of your working directory

git add [file]

Add a file to the staging area. Use in place of the full file path to add all changed files from the current directory down into the directory tree.

git diff [file]

Show changes between working directory and staging area.

git diff --staged [file]

Shows any changes between the staging area and the repository

git checkout -- [file]

Discard changes in working directory. This operation is unrecoverable

git reset [file]

Revert your repository to a previous known working state.

git commit

Create a new commit from changes added to the staging area.The commit must have a message!

git rm [file]

Remove file from working directory and staging area

git stash

Put current changes in your working directory into stash for later use

git stash pop

Apply stored stash content into working directory, and clear stash

git stash drop

Delete a specific stash from all your previous stashes

Command

Description

git branch [-a]

List all local branches in repository. With -a: show all branches(with remote).

git branch [branch_name]

Create new branch, referencing the current HEAD

git checkout [-b][branch_name]

Switch working directory to the specified branch. With -b: Git willcreate the specified branch if it does not exist.

git merge [from name]

Join specified [from name] branch into your current branch (the oneyou are on currently).

git branch -d [name]

Remove selected branch, if it is already merged into any other.-D instead of -d forces deletion.

Command

Description

git log [-n count]

List commit history of current branch. -n count limits list to last n commits.

git log --oneline --graph --decorate

An overview with reference labels and history graph. One commit per line.

git log ref..

List commits that are present on the current branch and not merged into ref. A ref can be a branch name or a tag name.

git log ..ref

List commit that are present on ref and not merged into current branch.

git reflog

List operations (e.g. checkouts or commits) made on local repository.

Command

Description

git tag

List all tags.

git tag [name] [commit sha]

Create a tag reference named name for current commit. Add commit sha to tag a specific commit instead of current one.

git tag -a [name] [commit sha]

Create a tag object named name for current commit.

git tag -d [name]

Remove a tag from local repository.

Command

Description

git reset [--hard] [target reference]

List all tags.

git revert [commit sha]

Create a tag reference named name for current commit. Add commit sha to tag a specific commit instead of current one.

git tag -a [name] [commit sha]

Create a tag object named name for current commit.

git tag -d [name]

Remove a tag from local repository.

Command

Description

git fetch [remote]

Fetch changes from the remote, but not update tracking branches.

git fetch --prune [remote]

Delete remote Refs that were removed from the remote repository

git pull [remote]

Fetch changes from the remote, but not update tracking branches.

git push [--tags] [remote]

Push local changes to the remote. Use --tags to push tags.

git push -u [remote] [branch]

Push local branch to remote repository. Set its copy as an upstream.