Essential Git Commands for Branching, Stashing, Tagging, and More

Branch Operations

git branch

– create a new branch git branch -b – create and switch to a new branch git checkout – switch branches git branch – list all branches git branch -v – show the last commit on each branch git branch -vv – show the current branch with upstream info git branch -b <branch> origin/<branch> – create a local tracking branch from a remote git branch --merged – list branches already merged into the current one git branch --no-merged – list branches not yet merged git branch -d <branch> – delete a local branch git branch -D <branch> – force‑delete a branch git branch origin :<branch> – delete a remote branch git merge <branch> – merge another branch into the current one

Stash Operations

git stash

– temporarily save current modifications git stash apply – re‑apply the most recent stash git stash pop – re‑apply and remove the stash entry git stash list – view all stash entries git stash drop <stash@{n}> – delete a specific stash git stash clear – remove all stashes

Revert Operations

git reset --hard HEAD^

– revert to the previous commit git reset --hard <commit_id> – revert to a specific commit git checkout -- <file> – discard changes in a file (restores from index or last commit) git reset HEAD <file> – unstage a file, moving it back to the working directory

Tag Operations

git tag <name>

– create a lightweight tag on the current commit git tag <name> <commit_id> – tag a specific commit git tag -a <name> -m "description" – create an annotated tag with a message git tag – list all tags git show <tag> – display tag details git tag -d <tag> – delete a local tag git push origin <tag> – push a tag to the remote repository git push origin --tags – push all tags git push origin :refs/tags/<tag> – delete a remote tag

Common Operations

git push origin test

– push a local branch named test to the remote git rm -r --cached <path> – stop tracking a file or directory git reflog – view the reference log of all actions git log --graph – display a visual branch/merge graph git merge --no-ff -m "msg" <branch> – merge without fast‑forward, preserving a merge commit git check-ignore -v <file> – show which ignore rule applies to a file git add -f <file> – force‑add a file that would otherwise be ignored

Repository‑Related Operations

git init

– initialize a new repository git remote add origin <url> – link a remote repository git pull – fetch and merge changes from the remote git fetch – retrieve all remote branches without merging

Solving Repeated Password Prompts

git config --global credential.helper store

– store credentials so subsequent pushes/pulls won’t ask for a password