Git Basics You Must Know

# Set your identity
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"
 
# Set default branch name
git config --global init.defaultBranch main
 
# Enable color output
git config --global color.ui auto
 
# Set default editor
git config --global core.editor "code --wait"  # VS Code
# OR
git config --global core.editor "vim"          # Vim
 
# Verify configuration
git config --list

# Clone an existing repository
git clone https://github.com/username/repo.git
 
# Initialize a new repository
git init
 
# Clone specific branch
git clone -b branch-name https://github.com/username/repo.git

# See current state
git status
 
# Compact status
git status -s
 
# See what's different
git diff
 
# See staged changes
git diff --staged

On branch main
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/main'.

Changes not staged for commit:
  modified:   src/app.js       ← Changed but not staged

Untracked files:
  new-file.txt                 ← Git doesn't know about this

Changes to be committed:
  new file:   staged-file.js   ← Ready to commit

# Stage specific file
git add filename.js
 
# Stage all changes in current directory
git add .
 
# Stage all changes everywhere
git add -A
 
# Stage parts of a file interactively
git add -p filename.js
 
# Unstage a file
git restore --staged filename.js

# Commit with message
git commit -m "Your commit message"
 
# Commit with detailed message (opens editor)
git commit
 
# Add all tracked files and commit
git commit -am "Message"
 
# Amend last commit
git commit --amend -m "New message"

# View commit history
git log
 
# Compact log
git log --oneline
 
# Log with graph
git log --oneline --graph --all
 
# Show specific commit
git show commit-hash
 
# Show changes in last 5 commits
git log -5 -p

* a1b2c3d (HEAD -> main) feat: add user authentication
* d4e5f6g fix: resolve login bug
* g7h8i9j docs: update README
* j0k1l2m initial commit

# List remotes
git remote -v
 
# Add remote
git remote add origin https://github.com/you/repo.git
git remote add upstream https://github.com/original/repo.git
 
# Remove remote
git remote remove origin
 
# Change remote URL
git remote set-url origin new-url

# Push to remote
git push origin branch-name
 
# Push and set upstream
git push -u origin branch-name
 
# Pull changes
git pull origin main
 
# Fetch without merging
git fetch origin

a1b2c3d (HEAD -> feature, origin/feature) Latest commit
d4e5f6g Previous commit
g7h8i9j (origin/main, main) Older commit

# Fork on GitHub first, then:
git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/project.git
cd project
git remote add upstream https://github.com/ORIGINAL/project.git
git checkout -b my-feature

# Start of day
git checkout main
git pull upstream main
git push origin main
 
# Start work
git checkout -b feature/new-thing
 
# Make changes, then:
git add .
git commit -m "feat: add new thing"
git push origin feature/new-thing

# Made changes on wrong branch?
git stash                    # Save changes
git checkout correct-branch  # Switch
git stash pop               # Restore changes

# Keep changes, undo commit
git reset --soft HEAD~1
 
# Discard changes, undo commit
git reset --hard HEAD~1
 
# Already pushed? See rewriting-history

# Dependencies
node_modules/
vendor/
venv/

# Build outputs
dist/
build/
*.pyc

# Environment files
.env
.env.local

# IDE settings
.vscode/
.idea/

# OS files
.DS_Store
Thumbs.db

# Logs
*.log
logs/

mkdir git-practice && cd git-practice
git init
echo "# My Project" > README.md
git add README.md
git commit -m "Initial commit"
git log

git checkout -b feature
echo "New feature" > feature.txt
git add feature.txt
git commit -m "Add feature"
git checkout main
git merge feature

# Create repo on GitHub first
git remote add origin https://github.com/you/repo.git
git push -u origin main

# Committing without reviewing
git add . && git commit -m "stuff"  # ❌
 
# Not pulling before pushing
git push  # ❌ May cause conflicts
 
# Committing sensitive data
git add .env  # ❌ NEVER!

# Review before committing
git status
git diff
git add specific-file.js
git commit -m "descriptive message"
 
# Always pull first
git pull origin main
git push origin main
 
# Use .gitignore
echo ".env" >> .gitignore

# You're not in a git repo
cd /path/to/your/repo
# OR initialize one
git init

# Remote has changes you don't
git pull origin branch-name
# Resolve any conflicts, then push
git push origin branch-name

# Need to stage before committing
git add filename
git commit -m "message"