Essential Git Commands Cheat Sheet for Every Scenario

Case First

Tags: Git, push, pull, rebase, merge

Problem description : Remote push rejected.

Cause analysis : Local branch is behind the remote branch; a forced push would overwrite remote history, so the server rejects the request.

Solution

Option 1 – Pull then push (recommended)

Option 2 – Force push (use with caution)

1. Initialization and Configuration

1.1 Repository initialization

git init                     # Initialize a new repository
git clone <url>              # Clone a remote repository
git clone <url> <dir>        # Clone into a specific directory

1.2 User configuration

git config --global user.name "Your Name"      # Set user name
git config --global user.email "[email protected]" # Set email
git config --global core.editor "vim"        # Set editor
git config --list                              # List all configs
git config --global --unset <key>              # Remove a config

2. Daily Development Workflow

2.1 View status

git status                     # Show working tree status
git status -s                  # Short format
git log                        # Show commit history
git log --oneline              # One‑line summary
git log --graph --all          # Graphical branch view
git log -p                     # Show diffs per commit
git log --author="name"       # Filter by author
git log --since="2 weeks ago" # Filter by date
git diff                       # Unstaged changes
git diff --staged              # Staged changes
git diff HEAD~1                # Compare with previous commit

2.2 File operations

git add <file>                 # Add file to staging area
git add .                      # Add all changes
git add -p                     # Interactive add
git rm <file>                  # Delete file
git rm --cached <file>         # Remove from index, keep file
git mv <old> <new>             # Rename or move file
git checkout -- <file>         # Discard working‑tree changes
git restore <file>            # Newer command (Git 2.23+)

2.3 Commit code

git commit -m "message"               # Commit with message
git commit -am "message"              # Add tracked files then commit
git commit --amend                    # Amend last commit
git commit --amend -m "msg"          # Amend message
git reset HEAD~1                       # Undo last commit, keep changes
git reset --hard HEAD~1                # Undo commit and discard changes
git revert <commit>                    # Create a reverse commit (safe for pushed commits)

3. Branch Management

3.1 Basic operations

git branch                         # List local branches
git branch -a                      # List all branches (including remote)
git branch <name>                  # Create branch
git branch -d <name>               # Delete merged branch
git branch -D <name>               # Force delete branch
git checkout <branch>             # Switch branch
git switch <branch>               # Newer switch command (Git 2.23+)
git checkout -b <name>            # Create and switch
git switch -c <name>               # Newer create‑and‑switch
git merge <branch>                # Merge into current branch

3.2 Merge strategies

git merge --no-ff <branch>          # Disable fast‑forward, create merge commit
git merge --squash <branch>        # Squash merge into a single commit
git rebase <branch>                # Rebase onto target branch
git rebase -i HEAD~3               # Interactive rebase for editing commits

3.3 Conflict resolution

git mergetool                     # Launch graphical merge tool
git diff --ours                   # Show our version
git diff --theirs                 # Show their version
git checkout --ours <file>        # Keep our version
git checkout --theirs <file>      # Keep their version
git add <resolved-files>          # Mark conflicts resolved
git rebase --continue             # Continue rebase
git rebase --abort                # Abort rebase

4. Remote Repository Operations

4.1 Remote management

git remote -v                     # Show remote URLs
git remote add origin <url>        # Add remote
git remote remove <name>          # Remove remote
git remote set-url origin <url>   # Change remote URL
git fetch origin                  # Fetch without merging
git pull origin <branch>          # Pull and merge
git pull --rebase origin <branch> # Pull and rebase
git push origin <branch>          # Push
git push -u origin <branch>       # Push and set upstream
git push --force-with-lease       # Safe force push
git push --delete origin <branch> # Delete remote branch

4.2 Non‑fast‑forward error handling

# Recommended: pull then push
git pull --rebase origin master
git push origin master

# Cautious: force push
git push --force-with-lease origin master

# Inspect differences before deciding
git fetch origin
git log HEAD..origin/master   # What remote has extra
git log origin/master..HEAD   # What we have extra

5. Tag Management

git tag                         # List tags
git tag -l "v1.*"               # Fuzzy search
git tag v1.0.0                  # Create lightweight tag
git tag -a v1.0.0 -m "msg"      # Create annotated tag
git show v1.0.0                # Show tag details
git push origin v1.0.0          # Push single tag
git push origin --tags          # Push all tags
git tag -d v1.0.0               # Delete local tag
git push origin :refs/tags/v1.0.0 # Delete remote tag

6. Undo and Recovery

6.1 Working‑tree undo

git checkout -- <file>          # Discard changes
git restore <file>              # Newer command
git clean -f                     # Delete untracked files
git clean -fd                    # Delete untracked files and directories
git clean -n                     # Preview deletions

6.2 Staging‑area undo

git reset HEAD <file>            # Unstage file
git restore --staged <file>     # Newer command
git reset HEAD                   # Clear staging area

6.3 Commit undo

git commit --amend               # Amend last commit
git reset --soft HEAD~1        # Undo commit, keep staged changes
git reset HEAD~1                 # Undo commit, keep working changes
git reset --hard HEAD~1        # Undo commit and discard all changes
git revert <commit>              # Create reverse commit (safe for pushed commits)

6.4 Recover deleted files

git reflog                      # Show all reference logs
git reset --hard <commit-id>    # Restore to specific commit
git cherry-pick <commit-id>     # Pick a specific commit

7. Stash (Temporary Storage)

git stash                       # Save current changes
git stash save "msg"            # Save with message
git stash list                  # List stashes
git stash pop                   # Apply latest stash and drop it
git stash apply stash@{0}       # Apply specific stash without dropping
git stash drop stash@{0}         # Delete specific stash
git stash clear                 # Remove all stashes
git stash branch <name>         # Create branch from stash

8. Advanced Operations

8.1 Search and filter

git log --grep="keyword"        # Search commit messages
git log -S "code"               # Search code changes
git blame <file>                 # Show last author per line
git bisect start                 # Start binary search for bug
git bisect bad                   # Mark current as bad
git bisect good                  # Mark current as good
git bisect reset                 # End bisect

8.2 Submodules

git submodule add <url>          # Add submodule
git submodule update --init     # Init and update
git submodule update --remote    # Update to latest upstream

8.3 Large File Handling (Git LFS)

git lfs install                 # Install LFS
git lfs track "*.psd"           # Track specific file types
git lfs ls-files                # List LFS‑tracked files

8.4 Archive and pack

git archive -o latest.zip HEAD  # Export as zip
git archive -o latest.tar HEAD  # Export as tar

9. Collaboration Workflow

9.1 Fork workflow

git remote add upstream <original-url> # Add upstream repo
git fetch upstream                     # Get upstream updates
git merge upstream/master               # Merge upstream changes
git push origin master                  # Push to your fork

9.2 Code review process

git fetch origin pull/<ID>/head:<branch> # Download PR branch
git cherry-pick <commit>                # Pick specific commit
git format-patch -1 HEAD                # Create patch file
git am <patch-file>                     # Apply patch

10. Performance Optimization and Maintenance

git gc                         # Garbage collection
git fsck                       # Verify repository integrity
git prune                      # Remove unreachable objects
git repack                     # Repack objects
git count-objects -v           # Show repository statistics

11. Common Issues Quick Reference

11.1 .gitignore examples

# Log files
*.log

# Dependency directories
node_modules/
target/
vendor/

# IDE configs
.idea/
.vscode/
*.iml

# System files
.DS_Store
Thumbs.db

# Build outputs
dist/
build/

# Environment files
.env
.env.local

# Keep empty directories
!.gitkeep

11.2 Change commit author

# Amend last commit author
git commit --amend --author="Name <email>"

# Bulk rewrite history author
git filter-branch --env-filter '
export GIT_AUTHOR_NAME="New Name"
export GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL="[email protected]"
' -- --all

11.3 Find large files

git rev-list --objects --all | sort -k 2 > all_files.txt
git cat-file --batch-check < all_files.txt | sort -k 3 -n -r | head

11.4 Common error handling

# fatal: refusing to merge unrelated histories
git pull origin master --allow-unrelated-histories

# error: Your local changes would be overwritten by merge
git stash
git pull
git stash pop

# fatal: remote origin already exists
git remote set-url origin <new-url>

12. Shortcut Alias Configuration

# Basic aliases
git config --global alias.st status
git config --global alias.co checkout
git config --global alias.br branch
git config --global alias.ci commit

# Log aliases
git config --global alias.lg "log --oneline --graph --all"
git config --global alias.hist "log --pretty=format:'%h %ad | %s%d [%an]' --graph --all"

# Undo aliases
git config --global alias.undo "reset --soft HEAD~1"
git config --global alias.amend "commit --amend"

# Push aliases
git config --global alias.ps "push"
git config --global alias.pl "pull"

# List aliases
git config --get-regexp alias

Core Principles

Golden Rules

Use revert for pushed commits and reset for unpushed commits. revert creates a new reverse commit without rewriting history; reset rewrites history and should only be used locally before push.

Prefer pull --rebase to keep history linear. Avoids unnecessary merge commits and results in a cleaner, more readable history.

Never force‑push without confirming no collaborators are affected. Use --force-with-lease instead of --force; force‑push can overwrite others' work.

Run reflog before risky operations to create a recovery point. git reflog records all actions and serves as a last‑resort safety net; note the current commit ID before destructive commands.

Dangerous Operations List

git reset --hard

– discards uncommitted changes. git push --force – overwrites remote commits. git clean -fd – deletes untracked files and directories. git filter-branch – rewrites history. git gc --prune=now – immediately removes all dangling objects.

Best Practices

Commit discipline

Make small, frequent commits.

Write clear commit messages.

Each commit should address a single concern.

Branch strategy master/main: production code. develop: main development branch. feature/*: feature branches. hotfix/*: urgent fixes. release/*: release preparation.

Collaboration etiquette

Pull before pushing.

Avoid rewriting history on shared branches.

Delete merged branches promptly.

Perform code review before merging.