Master Essential Git Commands: A Complete Cheat‑Sheet for Daily Use

I use Git daily but often forget many commands.

Generally, remembering six core commands covers everyday use, while proficient usage may require 60‑100 commands.

Below is a curated list of common Git commands with translations for key terms.

·Workspace: 工作区 ·Index / Stage: 暂存区 ·Repository: 仓库区（或本地仓库） ·Remote: 远程仓库

1. Create Repository

# In the current directory, create a new Git repository</code>
<code>$ git init</code>
<code># Create a new directory and initialize it as a Git repository</code>
<code>$ git init [project-name]</code>
<code># Clone a project with its full history</code>
<code>$ git clone [url]

2. Configuration

Git settings are stored in .gitconfig, which can be global (user home) or local (project directory).

# Show current Git configuration</code>
<code>$ git config --list</code>
<code># Edit Git configuration file</code>
<code>$ git config -e [--global]</code>
<code># Set user name for commits</code>
<code>$ git config [--global] user.name "[name]"</code>
<code># Set user email for commits</code>
<code>$ git config [--global] user.email "[email address]"

3. Add / Delete Files

# Add specific files to the staging area</code>
<code>$ git add [file1] [file2] ...</code>
<code># Add a directory (including subdirectories) to the staging area</code>
<code>$ git add [dir]</code>
<code># Add all files in the current directory to the staging area</code>
<code>$ git add .</code>
<code># Delete files from the working directory and stage the deletion</code>
<code>$ git rm [file1] [file2] ...</code>
<code># Stop tracking a file but keep it in the working directory</code>
<code>$ git rm --cached [file]</code>
<code># Rename a file and stage the rename</code>
<code>$ git mv [file-original] [file-renamed]

4. Commit Changes

# Commit staged changes with a message</code>
<code>$ git commit -m [message]</code>
<code># Commit specific staged files with a message</code>
<code>$ git commit [file1] [file2] ... -m [message]</code>
<code># Commit all changes in the working directory directly</code>
<code>$ git commit -a</code>
<code># Show diff information with the commit</code>
<code>$ git commit -v</code>
<code># Amend the previous commit (useful when no new changes)</code>
<code>$ git commit --amend -m [message]</code>
<code># Amend the previous commit and include new changes from specified files</code>
<code>$ git commit --amend [file1] [file2] ...

5. Branch Management

# List all local branches</code>
<code>$ git branch</code>
<code># List all remote branches</code>
<code>$ git branch -r</code>
<code># List both local and remote branches</code>
<code>$ git branch -a</code>
<code># Create a new branch (stay on current branch)</code>
<code>$ git branch [branch-name]</code>
<code># Create and switch to a new branch</code>
<code>$ git checkout -b [branch]</code>
<code># Create a branch pointing to a specific commit</code>
<code>$ git branch [branch] [commit]</code>
<code># Create a branch that tracks a remote branch</code>
<code>$ git branch --track [branch] [remote-branch]</code>
<code># Switch to a branch and update the working directory</code>
<code>$ git checkout [branch-name]</code>
<code># Set upstream tracking for an existing branch</code>
<code>$ git branch --set-upstream [branch] [remote-branch]</code>
<code># Merge a branch into the current branch</code>
<code>$ git merge [branch]</code>
<code># Cherry‑pick a specific commit</code>
<code>$ git cherry-pick [commit]</code>
<code># Delete a local branch</code>
<code>$ git branch -d [branch-name]</code>
<code># Delete a remote branch</code>
<code>$ git push origin --delete [branch-name]</code>
<code># Delete a remote branch using shorthand</code>
<code>$ git branch -dr [remote/branch]

6. Tag Operations

# List all tags</code>
<code>$ git tag</code>
<code># Create a tag on the current commit</code>
<code>$ git tag [tag]</code>
<code># Create a tag on a specific commit</code>
<code>$ git tag [tag] [commit]</code>
<code># Show tag information</code>
<code>$ git show [tag]</code>
<code># Push a specific tag</code>
<code>$ git push [remote] [tag]</code>
<code># Push all tags</code>
<code>$ git push [remote] --tags</code>
<code># Create a branch from a tag</code>
<code>$ git checkout -b [branch] [tag]

7. Inspect Information

# Show changed files</code>
<code>$ git status</code>
<code># Show commit history of the current branch</code>
<code>$ git log</code>
<code># Show commit history with file change stats</code>
<code>$ git log --stat</code>
<code># Show file history, including renames</code>
<code>$ git log --follow [file]</code>
<code>$ git whatchanged [file]</code>
<code># Show diffs for a specific file</code>
<code>$ git log -p [file]</code>
<code># Show who modified a file and when</code>
<code>$ git blame [file]</code>
<code># Show diff between staging area and working directory</code>
<code>$ git diff</code>
<code># Show diff between staging area and last commit</code>
<code>$ git diff --cached [file]</code>
<code># Show diff between working directory and latest commit</code>
<code>$ git diff HEAD</code>
<code># Show diff between two commits/branches</code>
<code>$ git diff [first-branch]...[second-branch]</code>
<code># Show metadata and changes of a commit</code>
<code>$ git show [commit]</code>
<code># Show only changed file names of a commit</code>
<code>$ git show --name-only [commit]</code>
<code># Show file content at a specific commit</code>
<code>$ git show [commit]:[filename]</code>
<code># Show recent commits on the current branch</code>
<code>$ git reflog

8. Remote Synchronization

# Fetch all changes from a remote repository</code>
<code>$ git fetch [remote]</code>
<code># List all remote repositories</code>
<code>$ git remote -v</code>
<code># Show information about a specific remote</code>
<code>$ git remote show [remote]</code>
<code># Add a new remote repository with a name</code>
<code>$ git remote add [shortname] [url]</code>
<code># Pull changes from a remote branch and merge</code>
<code>$ git pull [remote] [branch]</code>
<code># Push a local branch to a remote repository</code>
<code>$ git push [remote] [branch]</code>
<code># Force push the current branch, overwriting conflicts</code>
<code>$ git push [remote] --force</code>
<code># Push all branches to the remote</code>
<code>$ git push [remote] --all

9. Undo Changes

# Restore a specific file from the staging area to the working directory</code>
<code>$ git checkout [file]</code>
<code># Restore a file from a specific commit</code>
<code>$ git checkout [commit] [file]</code>
<code># Restore all files from the previous commit</code>
<code>$ git checkout .</code>
<code># Reset a specific file in the staging area to match the last commit (working directory unchanged)</code>
<code>$ git reset [file]</code>
<code># Reset staging area and working directory to last commit</code>
<code>$ git reset --hard</code>
<code># Reset current branch pointer to a specific commit (staging area reset, working directory unchanged)</code>
<code>$ git reset [commit]</code>
<code># Reset current branch HEAD to a specific commit, resetting both staging area and working directory</code>
<code>$ git reset --hard [commit]</code>
<code># Reset HEAD to a commit while keeping staging area and working directory</code>
<code>$ git reset --keep [commit]</code>
<code># Create a new commit that reverts a specific commit</code>
<code>$ git revert [commit]

10. Other

# Create an archive (e.g., zip) for publishing</code>
<code>$ git archive