Originally published on arasu-rrk.com.
Git is a free and open-source distributed version control system designed to handle everything from small to very large projects with speed and efficiency.
Here are some basic Git commands you need to know.
Clone the Repository
Syntax
git clone {url} — Here {url} represents the Git Repository URL
Example
git clone https://git.com/example/example-repository
By default, this command clones the default branch of the repository (in most cases, master). To clone a specific branch:
Syntax
git clone {url} -b {branch_name}
Example
git clone https://git.com/example/example-repository -b development
Change Local Working Branch
To change the local working branch, use the checkout command.
Syntax
git checkout origin/{branch_name}
Example
git checkout origin/master
Fetch Changes from Remote
To fetch all changes from remote, use the fetch command.
Syntax
git fetch --origin
NOTE: This command will not merge the changes into the local branch.
Pull Updates from Remote
To update the local branch:
Syntax
git pull
Merge Changes from Another Branch
To merge changes from another remote branch:
Syntax
git pull --no-rebase "origin" {branch_name}
Example
git pull --no-rebase "origin" development
This command pulls all changes from the development branch and merges them locally.
Check the Status of Local Changes
List the files you have changed and need to stage or commit:
git status
Stage Your Files
To stage your files, use the add command.
Syntax
git add {file_path}
Examples
- Add a specific file:
git add test/file.md - Add an entire folder:
git add {folder_name} - Add files by extension:
git add *.css - Add all files:
git add .
Commit Changes
To commit the staged changes:
Syntax
git commit -m "{message}"
Example
git commit -m "Test commit"
NOTE:
- A commit message is required for all commits.
- Changes will not be pushed to remote unless you explicitly push them.
Push Changes to Remote
git push
Revert All Local Changes
To discard all local uncommitted changes:
git reset --hard
Delete Unstaged Files
To delete all untracked files:
git clean -df
Options:
-d— Recurse into directories and delete.-f— Force delete.