List of useful git commands when working with branches and forks

git.md

Summary of most useful 'git' commands

Setting up name and e-mail address

git config --global user.name "First Last"
git config --global user.email "myname@org.com"

Create a repository

git init

Output:

$ git init
Initialized empty Git repository in /Users/cheenam/GitSamples/hello/.git/

Adding files to the repository

git add file.txt 
git commit -m "First Commit"

Output:

$ git add file.txt 
$ git commit -m "First Commit"
[master (root-commit) f0ab4d3] First commit
 1 file changed, 0 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 file.txt

Check 'status' of the repository

git status

Output:

$ git status
On branch master
nothing to commit, working tree clean

Update file.txt with some content and perform status check

Output:

$ git status
On branch master
Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
  (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)

        modified:   file.txt

no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")

Staging Changes

git add file.txt

Output:

$ git add file.txt
On branch master
Changes to be committed:
  (use "git reset HEAD <file>..." to unstage)

        modified:   file.txt

Committing staged changes

git commit -m "Changes for file.txt"

View history

git log

One line history

git log --pretty=oneline

Control what to see in logs

git log --pretty=oneline --max-count=2
git log --pretty=oneline --since='5 minutes ago'
git log --pretty=oneline --until='5 minutes ago'
git log --pretty=oneline --author=<your name>
git log --pretty=oneline --all

Ultimate log format

git log --pretty=format:"%h %ad | %s%d [%an]" --graph --date=short

Working with Git Repositories

Cloning a git repository

git clone https://github.com/<account>/<repository>

Adding remotes

git remote add upstream https://github.com/<account>/<repository>

Ideal git environment

git clone https://github.com/<my_account>/<my_forked_repository>
git remote add upstream https://github.com/<master_org>/<my_parent_repository>
git remote add xyzaccount https://github.com/<xyzaccount>/<repository_name>

Verify Remotes

git remote
git remote -v

Fetch remote

git fetch <remote>

Pushing to Remotes

git push origin master

Inspect a Remote

git remote show origin

Renaming Remotes

git remote rename <current_name> <new_name>

Remove Remote

git remote remove <remote_name>

List Tags

git tag
git tag -l "v1.*"

Create Tag (Lightweight)

git tag <tag_name>

Create Tag (Annotated)

git tag -a <tag_name> -m <tag_description>

Deleting Tag

git tag -d <tag_name>
git tag -delete <tag_name>

Deleting Remote Tag

git push <remote> --d <tag_name>
git push <remote> --delete <tag_name>

Checkout Tag on HEAD

git checkout <tag_name>

Checkout Tag in a Branch

git checkout -b <branch_name> <tag_name>

Push/Share Tag to Remotes

git push <remote> --tags

Creating a branch

git branch testing

Switching branches

git checkout testing

Push branch to remote

git push <remote> <branch_name>

Tracking Branches

git checkout --track <remote>/<branch_name>

Fetch branches and view all tracking branches

git fetch --all
git branch -vv

Deleting remote branches

git push <remote> --delete <branch_name>

Rebasing current_branch to master

git checkout <current_branch>
git rebase <master>
-- All new changes from <current_branch> will get copied (duplicate changesets) to <master> with a new <current_branch> HEAD
-- Useful for generating cleaner histories in running branches and ensuring branch commits are always ahead of 'master'.

Merging current_branch to master

git checkout <master>
git merge <current_branch>
git commit -m "My Merged commit"
-- All new changes from <current_branch> will be merged (using same changesets) to <master> without changing <current_branch> HEAD

Squash and Merge current_branch to master (Recommended)

git checkout <master>
git merge --squash <current_branch>
git commit -m "My Squashed commit"
-- All new changes from <current_branch> will be merged in a single commit to <master> wuthout changing <current_branch> HEAD
-- Always recommended when merging a big change to 'master'

Git Workflows

Refer here: https://git-scm.com/docs/gitworkflows for full documentation.