Git Tutorial

Basic Git commands

1. Start with Git

--- Clone the repository to your local machine (go to the directory at your local machine)

git clone https://github.com/zhenluo666/GitTutorial

--- Instead of cloning, you can also creat a new repository at local machine (go to the directory at your local machine)

git init
git remote add origin https://github.com/zhenluo666/GitTutorial

2. Get the status of repository at local

git status

3. Include untracked files or update unstaged files at git status check (after you make changes to files in local repository)

--- Add/Update a specific file

git add {filename}

--- Add/Update all files within directory

git add .
git add *
git add -A

4. Discard changes to an existed file (restore the file wrt github server version)

git restore {filename}

5. Commit the change from staging to local repository (with messages -m)

git commit -m "updated the README with more commands"

--- Combine add and commit commands (using &&)

git add . && git commit -m "add more lines"

--- Check the info of commit (commit hash number, author, date, etc.)

git log

6. Sync the repository from local to github server (remote)

git push
git push -u origin main
git push origin {new_remote_branch}

7. Sync the repository from github server (remote) to local

--- Retrieve/Fetch remote-tracking branches (After fetch, you can merge the received commits into local branch using git merge)

git fetch
git fetch {remote_repository} {remote_branch}

--- Retrieve and merge from remote (git pull = git fetch + git merge)

git pull
git pull origin {remote_branch}:{local_branch}
git pull {remote_repository} {remote_branch}:{local_branch}
git checkout -b {new_local_branch} origin/{remote_branch}
% Note pull may create merge conflict between remote and local that you need to be fix and commit the change

8. Editing in git config (exit only; exit w/o saving; exit w/ saving)

:q
:q!
:wq

9. Edit git configuration file (author and email)

git config --global --edit

10. Help

git --help

11. Remove files from staging area (undo the git add)

git reset {filename}

12. Undo the git commit at local repository

git reset --hard origin/{branch_name}

13. View infomation about the remote repository

git remote -v
git branch -a

14. Obtain the difference between branches

git diff {main_branch} {new_branch}

Branches

1. Make branches (avoid messing up with main/master branch and able to merge later)

git branch {new_branch}
git branch {new_branch} {base_branch}
git branch {new_local_branch} {remote_repository}/{remote_branch}
git checkout -b {new_branch}
git checkout -b {new_local_branch} origin/{remote_branch}

2. Switch to a specific branch (commit changes before switch)

git checkout {branch_name}

3. Branch operation

git branch --list
git branch -D {branch_to_be_deleted}
git branch -M {branch_to_be renamed}
git branch -C {branch_to_be_copied}
git push origin --delete {remote_branch_to_be_deleted}

4. Merge branch (merge a specific branch/commit to current branch)

git merge {branch_name}
git fetch origin {remote_branch} && git merge origin/{remote_branch}
git fetch {remote_repository} {remote_branch} && git merge {remote_repository}/{remote_branch}
% There may be merge conflict which needs your check into files and make modifications
% Merge conflict has to be resolved before switch branch