Git Cheat Sheet
Setup (do once)
| Command |
What it does |
Example |
git config --global user.name "Your Name" |
Set your name on commits |
git config --global user.name "Alice" |
git config --global user.email "a@b.com" |
Set your email on commits |
git config --global user.email "alice@example.com" |
Starting a Project
| Command |
What it does |
Example |
git init |
Turn the current folder into a Git repo |
cd my_project && git init |
git clone <url> |
Download an existing repo from GitHub etc. |
git clone https://github.com/user/repo.git |
Everyday Workflow
┌────────┐ git add ┌────────┐ git commit ┌──────────┐ git push ┌────────┐
│ Working │ ──────────→ │ Staging │ ────────────→ │ Local │ ──────────→ │ Remote │
│ Tree │ │ Area │ │ Branch │ │ (GitHub)│
└────────┘ └────────┘ └──────────┘ └────────┘
| Command |
What it does |
Example |
git status |
See what files changed and what's staged |
git status |
git add <file> |
Stage a file for commit |
git add main.cpp |
git add . |
Stage all changed files |
git add . |
git commit -m "message" |
Save staged changes with a message |
git commit -m "Add login feature" |
git log |
Show commit history |
git log --oneline (compact view) |
git diff |
Show unstaged changes (line by line) |
git diff |
Undoing Things
| Command |
What it does |
Example |
git restore <file> |
Discard unstaged changes in a file |
git restore main.cpp |
git restore --staged <file> |
Unstage a file (keep your edits) |
git restore --staged main.cpp |
git commit --amend -m "new msg" |
Fix the last commit message |
git commit --amend -m "Fixed message" |
git reset --hard HEAD |
Throw away all uncommitted changes ⚠️ |
Use with care! |
Branches
| Command |
What it does |
Example |
git branch |
List branches (* = current one) |
git branch |
git branch <name> |
Create a new branch |
git branch feature-x |
git checkout <branch> |
Switch to a branch |
git checkout feature-x |
git switch <branch> |
Switch to a branch (newer syntax) |
git switch main |
git checkout -b <name> |
Create and switch to a new branch |
git checkout -b feature-x |
git merge <branch> |
Merge another branch into the current one |
git switch main && git merge feature-x |
git branch -d <name> |
Delete a branch (safe) |
git branch -d feature-x |
Working with GitHub (Remote)
| Command |
What it does |
Example |
git remote add origin <url> |
Link your local repo to GitHub |
git remote add origin https://github.com/alice/my-project.git |
git push -u origin main |
Push commits to GitHub (first time) |
git push -u origin main |
git push |
Push commits (after first time) |
git push |
git pull |
Fetch and merge the latest from GitHub |
git pull |
git fetch |
Download updates from GitHub (don't merge) |
git fetch |
Common Scenarios
Scenario 1: Save your work
git add .
git commit -m "Describe what you changed"
Scenario 2: Put it on GitHub
git push
Scenario 3: Get latest from GitHub
git pull
Scenario 4: Start a new feature (branch)
git checkout -b my-new-feature
# ... make changes ...
git add .
git commit -m "Add my new feature"
git push -u origin my-new-feature
Scenario 5: Undo changes in a file before committing
git restore broken_file.cpp
Cheat Sheet — Most Used Commands
git status # What's going on?
git add . # Stage everything
git commit -m "msg" # Save snapshot
git push # Upload to GitHub
git pull # Download from GitHub
git log --oneline # See history
