Git commands that every developer should know

Git commands that every developer should know

Get ready to power up your Git game! Whether you’re a seasoned software engineer or just starting out, it’s important to know the basics of Git, the robust version control system used by developers all over the world. With Git, you can track changes to your code, collaborate with others, and even restore to earlier versions as needed.

In this electrifying post, we’ll showcase the most widely used Git commands, complete with code samples, so you can start using Git like a pro in no time!

Git init

First up, we have the Git Init command. This command is your ticket to creating a new Git repository and setting it up for success. With just one line of code,

 git init

you’ll initialize a new repository, creating a new subdirectory named .git that holds all the important Git metadata.

Git clone

Next, it’s time to clone a remote repository. The git clone command does just that, letting you create a local copy of a remote repository with ease. Just run the command,

 git clone <https://github.com/user/repo.git>

and you’ll have a new directory ready to go, complete with a .git directory and a checked out working copy of the latest version.

Git add

When you’re ready to make changes, you’ll use the git add command to add files to the staging area. This command lets Git know which updates you want to include in your next commit. Just use

git add .

to add all the files in the current directory, or specify a list of specific files to add.

Git commit

The moment you’ve been waiting for - it’s time to commit! The git commit command saves your changes to the local repository, capturing a snapshot of your project’s staged changes. Use the -m flag to add a message to the commit, like so:

git commit -m "Commit message".

Git status

Stay on top of your game with the git status command, which lists all new or modified files waiting to be committed. With just one line of code,

 git status

you’ll see the working tree status, so you’ll always know which changes have been staged, which haven’t, and which files aren’t being tracked by Git.

Git branch

Now it’s time to branch out! The

git branch

command lets you list, create, and delete branches, giving you the flexibility to work on different versions of your code simultaneously. Just run git branch to list, create, or delete branches, and you’ll be branching like a pro in no time.

Git checkout

When you’re ready to switch branches, the git checkout command is your go-to. This command updates your working tree files to match the version in the index or the specified tree. Just run

git checkout

to navigate between the branches you’ve created with git branch.

Git merge

Need to merge two or more development histories? The

 git merge

command is here to help. This command combines multiple sequences of commits into one unified history, making it a breeze to merge two branches. Just run git merge and you’ll be merging like a boss.

Git pull

The git pull command lets you fetch and download content from a remote repository, immediately updating your local repository to match. Just run

git pull

and you’ll be up-to-date in no time.

Git push

It’s time to share your code with the world! The git push command uploads your local repository content to a remote repository, updating remote refs using your local refs and sending the necessary objects. Simply run

git push

and your code will be out.

Git stash

The git stash command temporarily stores all the modified tracked files. It takes your dirty working directory, stores it away, and then reverts it back to the last committed state. Just run

git stash

and you’ll be stashing like a pro.

Git revert

git revert

This command is used to undo a previous commit. It creates a new commit that undoes changes from a previous commit. It is used to reverse changes from a previous commit, creating a new commit that undoes those changes.

Git reset

git reset

The git reset command is used to undo commits. It can be used to remove commits from the current branch and optionally reset the index and working tree to match. It is used to undo commits, moving the current branch tip back to a previous commit.

Git log

git log

The git log command is used to display a list of all the commits in a Git repository. It shows a list of all the commits in a Git repository, along with their details like the author, date, and commit message.

Conclusion

In conclusion, these are the most widely used Git commands for developers. With these basic Git commands in your toolkit, you’ll be able to perform version control on your projects with confidence. Git is a robust and powerful tool, and there’s much more to learn, but with these commands, you’re off to a great start. Happy coding!