Mastering Git: Essential Commands for Daily Use

As a developer, using Git for version control is an essential part of your workflow. Git allows you to track changes to your code, collaborate with others, and manage multiple branches of development. While there are many Git commands available, some commands are more commonly used than others. In this blog post, we’ll cover the top Git commands that you’re likely to use on a daily basis.

1. git clone

This command is used to create a local copy of a remote repository. For example, to clone a repository from GitHub, you would use the following command:

git clone https://github.com/username/repository.git

This will create a local copy of the repository in a directory with the same name as the repository.

2. git status

The git status command displays the current status of your local repository. This includes any changes that have been made to files and whether they have been staged for commit or not. This command is useful for keeping track of changes and ensuring that everything is in order before committing changes.

3. git add

The git add command is used to stage changes for commit. You can add specific files or entire directories using this command. For example, to stage a single file, you would use the following command:

git add filename.txt

To stage all changes in the current directory, you would use:

git add .

4. git commit

The git commit command creates a new commit with the changes that have been staged using the git add command. When you commit changes, you should also include a commit message that describes the changes you've made. For example:

git commit -m "Added new feature"

5. git push

The git push command is used to upload your local changes to the remote repository. This command sends your changes to the remote repository and updates the repository's history. For example:

git push origin main

This pushes your local changes to the main branch of the origin remote repository.

6. git pull

The git pull command is used to download changes from the remote repository and merge them into your local repository. This command is useful when you're collaborating with others and need to keep your local repository up-to-date. For example:

git pull origin main

This pulls changes from the main branch of the origin remote repository and merges them into your local repository.

7. git branch

The git branch command is used to list, create, or delete branches in your local repository. For example, to list all branches in your local repository:

git branch

To create a new branch:

git branch new-branch

And to delete a branch:

git branch -d branch-to-delete

8. git merge

The git merge command is used to merge changes from one branch into another. This command is useful when you're working on a feature branch and want to merge your changes into the main branch. For example:

git merge feature-branch

This merges changes from the feature-branch branch into the current branch.

9. git stash

The git stash command is used to temporarily save changes that are not ready to be committed. This command is useful when you need to switch to a different branch or work on a different task but don't want to commit your changes yet. To stash your changes, you can use the following command:

git stash

This will save your changes to a temporary location so that you can work on other tasks. You can use the git stash list command to view a list of all stashes that you've created.

10. git stash apply

The git stash apply command is used to retrieve changes that were previously stashed using the git stash command. This command is useful when you need to apply changes that were temporarily saved to a different branch or task. To apply a stash, you can use the following command:

git stash apply

This will retrieve the most recent stash and apply the changes to your current branch. If you have multiple stashes, you can specify which stash to apply using the stash ID, such as git stash apply stash@{1}.

11. git log

The git log command is used to view the commit history of a repository. This command displays a list of all commits that have been made, along with the commit message and other details. By default, the git log command shows the commit history for the current branch. For example, to view the commit history of the current branch in a simplified format, you can use the following command:

git log --oneline

12. git diff

The git diff command is used to view the differences between two commits, branches, or files. This command is useful when you want to compare changes between different versions of your code. For example, to view the differences between the current branch and a different branch, you can use the following command:

git diff master..feature-branch

This will display the differences between the master branch and the feature-branch branch.

These are just a few additional Git commands that you may find useful. As you continue to work with Git, you’ll likely encounter many other commands that can help you manage your code more effectively.

You’re welcome! I’m glad I could help you with my blog post. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions or need further assistance. Keep up the great work! ❤️