Git Cheat Sheet

Setup#

git config --global user.name "Asha Kumar"
git config --global user.email "asha@example.com"
git config --global init.defaultBranch main
git init                         # new repository
git clone https://github.com/user/repo.git

Daily work#

git status                       # what changed
git diff                         # unstaged changes
git diff --staged                # staged changes
git add file.js                  # stage a file
git add -p                       # stage chunk by chunk
git commit -m "Add login form validation"
git log --oneline --graph --all  # history
git show <commit>                # one commit

Branches#

git switch -c feature/login      # create and switch
git switch main
git branch                       # list
git branch -d feature/login      # delete (merged)
git merge feature/login          # merge into current branch
git rebase main                  # replay your commits on top of main

Remotes#

git remote -v
git fetch origin
git pull                         # fetch + merge (or rebase with --rebase)
git push -u origin feature/login # first push of a branch
git push

Undo#

Situation	Command
discard changes in a file	git restore file.js
unstage a file	git restore --staged file.js
fix the last commit message / add a forgotten file	git commit --amend (before pushing)
undo a pushed commit safely	git revert <commit>
move back, keep changes	git reset --soft HEAD~1
throw away local commits	git reset --hard origin/main ⚠️
find “lost” commits	git reflog

Stash#

git stash push -m "wip navbar"
git stash list
git stash pop

.gitignore#

node_modules/
target/
.env
*.log
.DS_Store

Never commit secrets (.env, API keys, passwords). If one leaks, rotate it: removing the commit isn’t enough.

Team workflow (GitHub flow)#

1. git switch -c feature/short-name from an up-to-date main.
2. Small commits with clear messages (“Add …”, “Fix …”).
3. git push -u origin feature/short-name, open a pull request.
4. Review, fix comments, CI passes.
5. Merge (squash or merge commit), delete the branch, git switch main && git pull.

Merge conflicts#

<<<<<<< HEAD
your version
=======
their version
>>>>>>> feature/x

Edit the file to the correct result, remove the markers, then git add file and git commit (or git rebase --continue).

Good commit messages#

• Imperative, short subject: “Add course search endpoint”.
• Explain why in the body when it isn’t obvious.
• One logical change per commit.