Aquileo | Essential Git Commands

Git includes many commands, but a core set is commonly used to streamline development workflows from repository setup to collaboration.

Create

Used to start working with repositories.

git clone: Clones (copies) an existing remote repository to your local system, including all files, branches, and commit history.
git init: Initializes a new Git repository in your current folder by creating a .git directory to track changes.

Used to track, review, and prepare changes before committing.

git status: Displays the state of your working directory (modified, staged, and untracked files).
git diff: Shows differences between working directory and staging area (what changes are not yet staged).
git add: Adds all current changes to the staging area (prepares them for commit).
git add -p: Allows you to stage changes selectively (line-by-line or chunk-by-chunk).
git commit -a: Commits all tracked files directly without using git add (does not include new/untracked files).
git commit: Saves staged changes as a new commit in the repository.
git commit --amend: Modifies the last commit (useful for fixing commit message or adding missed changes).

Used to view and analyze project history.

git log: Shows all commits in reverse chronological order (latest first).
git log -p: Displays detailed changes (diff) introduced in each commit.
git blame: Shows who last modified each line of a file and when (useful for debugging).

Used for parallel development and version management.

Used to interact with remote repositories.

Used to combine work from multiple branches.

git merge: Merges another branch into your current branch, preserving history.
git rebase: Reapplies your commits on top of another branch to maintain a clean linear history.
git rebase --abort: Cancels the rebase process and returns to original state.
git rebase --continue: Continues rebase after resolving conflicts.
git mergetool: Opens a graphical tool to resolve merge conflicts.
git add / git rm: After resolving conflicts manually, these commands mark files as resolved.

Used to undo or revert changes safely or forcefully.

git reset --hard HEAD: Discards all local changes and resets to the last commit (irreversible).
git checkout HEAD <file>: Restores a specific file to its last committed version.
git revert: Creates a new commit that undoes a previous commit (safe for shared repositories).
git reset --hard <commit>: Moves HEAD to a previous commit and deletes all changes after it.
git reset: Unstages changes but keeps them in the working directory.
git reset --keep: Resets commits while preserving uncommitted local changes.