Top 20 Must Know Git Commands

Git can feel like a puzzle until you learn the key moves. In this guide, you’ll find the top 20 Git commands, ordered by how often they are used. Each entry starts with a quick “What it does” summary, followed by an image displaying its functionality. No walls of text, no unexplained flags, no perusing through the documentation. Just practical, bite-size entries that you can use as a cheat sheet. Let’s make Git simple, fast, and fun.

1. git commit

Creates a new commit from staged changes, assigning a snapshot ID and message.

git commit -m []

Example:

The command records “First commit” and displays its commit hash and summary.

*You can only commit if you’ve staged first

2. git status

Reports untracked, modified, and staged files to indicate the next steps.

git status []

Example:

We can see that file1.txt is appearing red, which indicates that git has not started tracking this file.

3. git add

Stages specified file changes, moving them into the index for the next commit.

git add .

Example:

The output (using status command) confirms that file1.txt has been added to the staging area.

4. git push

Sends your local commits on a branch up to a remote repo.

git push

Example:

git push origin main

Uploads your main branch commits to “origin”.

5. git pull

Fetches and merges changes from a remote branch into your current branch.

git pull [] []

Example:

git pull origin dev

Gets origin/dev and merges it into what you’ve checked out.

6. git clone

Creates a local copy of a remote repository.

git clone []

Example:

The clone process fetches objects and deltas, creating an AV_Article_Codes folder.

7. git branch

Lists, creates, or deletes branches in your repo.

git branch [] []

Example:

In the example, a new branch test is created alongside master.

8. git checkout

Switches to another branch or restores files from a specific commit.

git checkout <branch|commit> [--] []

Example:

The output indicates a successful switch from master to the test branch.

9. git merge

Integrates another branch’s commits into your current branch.

git merge [--no-ff]

Example:

git merge --no-ff feature/api

Merges feature/api and always creates a merge commit.

10. git log

Displays the project’s commit history in reverse chronological order.

git log []

Example:

The log lists the commits – “First commit” along with its timestamps and authors.

11. git diff

Shows line-by-line differences between commits, branches, or index vs. working tree.

git diff [--staged] […]

Example:

Using --staged displays the diff of a newly added file3.txt ready for commit.

12. git stash

Temporarily saves uncommitted changes, cleaning the working directory.

git stash [save ]

Example:

Stashing records the current state on branch test and returns a clean working tree.

13. git init

Initializes a new Git repository by creating a .git directory and displaying branch-naming hints.

git init []

Example:

The example shows repository initialization with guidance on renaming the default branch.

14. git fetch

Downloads commits and refs from a remote without merging them.

git fetch [] []

Example:

git fetch --all

Pulls updates from every configured remote.

15. git reset

Moves your HEAD and optionally updates the index or working tree.

git reset [] []

Example:

A hard reset to the first commit discards later changes and resets HEAD accordingly.

16. git revert

Creates a new commit that undoes changes from a past commit.

git revert

Example:

git revert a1b2c3d

Adds a commit that reverses a1b2c3d without rewriting history.

17. git rebase

Moves your commits onto a new base, keeping history linear.

git rebase [-i]

Example:

git rebase -i main

Lets you reorder, squash, or edit commits interactively.

18. git show

Displays metadata and patch details for a given commit or object.

git show []

Example:

Showing a specific hash prints its author, date, commit message, and the diff of file2.txt.

19. git cherry-pick

Applies one specific commit from another branch onto your current HEAD.

git cherry-pick

Example:

git cherry-pick f4e5d6c

Pulls that single change into your branch

20. git bisect

Automates a binary search to find which commit introduced a bug.

git bisect [good/bad/start]

 Example:

git bisect start; git bisect bad; git bisect good v1.0

Narrow down the bad commit in a few steps.

Best Practices

Here are some of the go-tos when it comes to git commands:

• Keep commits small: Focus each commit on one change and write clear messages.
• Use branches: Do feature work on its own branch, then merge via pull requests.
• Stash before switching: Avoid half-done commits by stashing WIP changes first.
• Rebase locally: Clean up your branch history before sharing, but never rebase shared branches.
• Review with diff/log: Always glance at git diff and git log before pushing.

Conclusion

You now have the top 20 Git commands, each with a quick “what it does,” and a one-line example. Start by practicing the first five until they’re second nature, then add branching, merging, rebasing, and stashing to your muscle memory. Keep this list handy in Google Docs or your sticky notes. You can visit this guide if you are new to Git or GitHub to get a head start. With these commands under your belt, you’ll spend less time wrestling with version control and more time writing code. Go ahead, open your terminal and level up your Git game!

Frequently Asked Questions