A Comprehensive Guide to Git Commands with Examples

Git is a powerful version control tool that lets you track changes, collaborate, and manage code efficiently. Here's a guide to essential Git commands, their uses, and cool examples.

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Getting Started with Git using Git bash

1. git init

• Use: Initializes a new Git repository.
• Example: Starting a new project.

  mkdir my_project
  cd my_project
  git init
  

  Output: Creates a .git directory to track changes.

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2. git clone

• Use: Clones a remote repository to your local machine.
• Example: Cloning a GitHub repository.

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

  Output: A local copy of the repository is created in repo/.

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Working with Changes

3. git add

• Use: Stages changes for commit.
• Example: Adding all files in a project.

  echo "Hello, Git!" > file.txt
  git add .
  

  Output: file.txt is staged for the next commit.

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4. git commit

• Use: Saves staged changes to the local repository.
• Example: Committing changes with a message.

  git commit -m "Initial commit"

  Output: A commit is created with your changes.

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5. git status

• Use: Shows the status of the working directory and staging area.
• Example: Checking for staged and unstaged changes.

  git status

  Output: Lists changes to be committed and untracked files.

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6. git diff

• Use: Displays differences between changes.
• Example: Viewing what changed in file.txt.

  echo "New content" >> file.txt
  git diff
  

  Output: Highlights added lines in file.txt.

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Managing Branches

7. git branch

• Use: Lists, creates, or deletes branches.
• Example: Creating a new branch.

  git branch feature-1
  git branch
  

  Output: Lists all branches, marking the current one with *.

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8. git checkout / git switch

• Use: Switches between branches.
• Example: Switching to feature-1.

  git switch feature-1

  Output: You’re now on the feature-1 branch.

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9. git merge

• Use: Merges changes from one branch to another.
• Example: Merging feature-1 into main.

  git checkout main
  git merge feature-1
  

  Output: Combines feature-1 into main.

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Collaborating with Others

10. git pull

• Use: Fetches and integrates changes from a remote repository.
• Example: Syncing the local branch with the remote main.

  git pull origin main

  Output: Updates your local branch with the latest changes.

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11. git push

• Use: Uploads local commits to a remote repository.
• Example: Pushing feature-1 to the remote repository.

  git push origin feature-1

  Output: Updates the remote feature-1 branch.

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Undoing Changes

12. git reset

• Use: Unstages changes or reverts the branch.
• Example: Unstaging a file.

  git reset file.txt

  Output: file.txt is no longer staged but remains changed.

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13. git revert

• Use: Reverts a specific commit.
• Example: Undoing a commit while keeping history.

  git revert <commit-hash>

  Output: Creates a new commit that reverses changes.

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Inspecting History

14. git log

• Use: Shows commit history.
• Example: Viewing commit history in detail.

  git log --oneline

  Output: Displays concise commit history.

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15. git show

• Use: Displays details about a specific commit.
• Example: Inspecting a recent commit.

  git show <commit-hash>

  Output: Shows changes and metadata for the commit.

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Advanced Commands

16. git stash

• Use: Temporarily saves uncommitted changes.
• Example: Stashing changes before switching branches.

  git stash
  git switch main
  git stash apply
  

  Output: Changes are safely stored and reapplied.

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17. git fetch

• Use: Fetches updates from a remote repository without merging.
• Example: Checking for new updates.

  git fetch origin

  Output: Updates are downloaded but not applied.

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Conclusion

These examples demonstrate Git commands in action. Practice using them in a real project to master version control!