Top 15 Git Commands Every Developer Must Know!

Git is a powerful tool for version control, allowing developers to manage their code efficiently. If you’re new to Git or looking to brush up on the basics, here are 15 essential Git commands every developer should know.

1. git init

Purpose: Initializes a new Git repository in your project folder.

git init

Use this command when you start a new project or want to track an existing project with Git.

2. git clone <repository>

Purpose: Clones an existing Git repository to your local machine.

git clone https://github.com/username/repository.git

This creates a copy of the repository on your local system.

3. git status

Purpose: Shows the current status of your working directory (staged, unstaged, untracked files).

git status

It helps you see what changes have been made since the last commit.

4. git add <file>

Purpose: Stages changes to be committed.

git add index.html

Use this to stage individual files. You can stage all changes with git add ..

5. git commit -m "message"

Purpose: Commits staged changes to the local repository.

git commit -m "Add new feature"

This saves your changes with a message describing what was changed.

6. git log

Purpose: Shows the commit history of the repository.

git log

This lists all commits in the current branch, starting with the most recent.

7. git diff

Purpose: Shows the differences between the working directory and the last commit.

git diff

This allows you to review what changes have been made before committing.

8. git branch

Purpose: Lists or creates branches.

git branch

Use this to see the list of branches. To create a new branch, use git branch new-branch.

9. git checkout <branch>

Purpose: Switches to a different branch.

git checkout new-branch

Switch between branches to work on different features or bug fixes.

10. git merge <branch>

Purpose: Merges the changes from one branch into another.

git merge new-branch

This merges the changes from new-branch into your current branch.

11. git pull

Purpose: Fetches changes from the remote repository and merges them into your local branch.

git pull origin main

Use this command to keep your local branch up to date with the remote repository.

12. git push

Purpose: Pushes your local commits to the remote repository.

git push origin main

This sends your changes to the remote repository so others can see them.

13. git reset

Purpose: Reverts changes in your working directory or uncommitted changes.

git reset --hard HEAD

This command can undo local changes, but use it carefully, as it can discard work.

14. git fetch

Purpose: Fetches the latest changes from the remote repository without merging them.

git fetch

This updates your local copy with the latest remote changes but doesn’t affect your working directory.

15. git remote -v

Purpose: Shows the remote repositories linked to your local repository.

git remote -v

This command helps you confirm which remote repositories are set for your project.

Conclusion

These 15 Git commands are key to managing your codebase effectively. Whether you’re cloning a project, staging changes, or collaborating with others, knowing these basic commands will make your development workflow much easier.