Repository Commands

Commands Specific to the Repository

git commit -m ['comment about this commit']

Commit the file or files added to the staging area with a comment specifying what has changed.

git commit --amend

Quick modification of the last commit with latest changes.

git diff [commit] [commit]

Specify two different commits and view the differences.

git branch [-(r), (a)]

Without the options, command displays all branches for the local repository including the master. -r shows remote branches. -a displays local and remote.

git init

Initialize your current folder into git version control.

git add test.txt

Add a file name test.txt to the staging area.

git add '*.txt'

Add all txt files to the staging area.

git add *

Add every file in the repository to the staging area.

git log [--decorate, stat, author=(author), after="MM DD YYYY", before="MM DD YYYY", follow, merge]

Lists the revision history for the current branch. Options do not have to be used, but are effective in "prettifying" the data or drilling down to specifics on a large project.

git branch -d [somebranch]

Once completing a merge, if you don't need the branch any longer, make sure do delete it with the -d qualifier.

git branch -D [somebranch]

If you haven't fully merged a branch, but want to delete it anyway, the -D qualifier will work, but be careful using it.

git branch --track [new] [remote branch]

Create a new local branch that tracks on remote branch.

git branch -r

List all remote branches associated with this repository.

git fetch [remote] [refspec]

Downloads objects and files from remote to a local repository, but does not merge the changes.

git push

Updates the local server with all commits to the comparable branches. If a branch has not been pushed to the local server, the push will not take place there.

git push -u origin master

Push your changes to GitHub or whatever remote repository you have setup. The -u tells Git to remember the parameters so you can just enter "git push" the next time you "push".

git push -u origin master [newbranch]

Push to a remote except a new branch (not master)

git push -u origin master --force

It's strongly encouraged to use a pull first, merge change, then push back. However, if you want to write over the remote with your local commits, use the --force parameter. This must only be used cautiously!

git push [remote] :[branch]

Remote the remote branch associated with the remote repository.

git remote add origin https://github.com/[your user]/[your repository].git

If you want to store your code or data on GitHub, add a remote to your GitHub repository. The name of the repository is "origin" here, but you can name it what you will.

git diff HEAD

Useful for after the "git pull" command. If there are changes made during the pull, "git diff HEAD" will tell you exactly where the changes occurred. (Use Q to quit back to the command line).

git diff --staged

Conversely using "--staged" after a "git add" can show you what changes have been staged against changes already committed.

git branch [newbranch]

Create new branch.

git rm '*.txt'

Remove all files with the extenstion .txt from the current repository master or branch.

git rm -r [yourfolder]

Remove an entire folder and it's contents.

git commit -m "remove"

You have to do a commit when removing, just like when adding.

git commit -am "remove"

If you deleted a file outside of git, this command automatically removes it from the tree during the commit.

git push

Push your changes through to GitHub.

git show

Shows the data involved in the last commit via terminal. Shift+zz drops back to the command line.

git config --global user.name [username]

Attaches your specified name to a commit.

git config --global user.email [email address]

Attaches your specified email address to a commit.

git config --global color.ui auto

Auto, True, or False can be used here. True leaves the color always on, no matter if it's the terminal, pipe, or file. False turns it off everywhere. Use Auto if you like the color scheme on the terminal but don't want to carry the color coding to other paths.

gitk

Opens the GUI interface to show the branch history.

git gui

GUI interface built into git.

git blame [filename]

Determine who modified each line of the stated file.

git gui blame [filename]

If you need to verify many lines, the GUI might be better.