Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →For everyday Git work, learn a small loop: inspect changes with git status and git diff, stage the exact content you want with git add, review it with git diff --cached, then record it with git commit. Use branches to separate work, and fetch before merging when you want to inspect remote changes first.
What Git records—and what staging means
The Git project describes Git as “a fast distributed revision control system.” In practical terms, a commit records a project snapshot. The staging area, also called the index, lets you select what goes into the next snapshot rather than committing every change in your working directory.
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git add <path> puts that path’s content as it exists at that moment into the index. If you edit the file again afterward, stage it again to include the newer content. Newly created files are untracked until you add them.
Start a repository or copy an existing one
git --versionreports the installed Git version.git initcreates a repository in the current directory.git clone <url>creates a local copy of an existing repository.
For the complete current command list, consult the Git command reference. The Git project also groups its everyday commands by common tasks, though that guide’s version history notes an update dated 2014-12-17; use the current reference when exact options matter.
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Inspect, stage, and commit a change
- Run
git statusto see which changes are staged, unstaged, or untracked. - Run
git diffto review working-tree changes that are not staged. - Stage the file you intend to commit with
git add <file>. To stage all changes under the current directory, usegit add .only after checking that scope is appropriate. - Run
git diff --cachedto review the staged content. - Record it with
git commit -m "Describe the change". - Inspect the resulting commit with
git show.
These three diff commands answer different questions:
| Command | What it compares |
|---|---|
git diff |
Working tree against the index: changes not yet staged. |
git diff --cached |
Index against HEAD: content staged for the next commit. |
git diff HEAD |
Working tree against HEAD: staged and unstaged changes together. |
git commit -a is a shortcut for including modifications and removals to files Git already tracks. It does not add newly created untracked files, so use git add for those. For deliberate commits, reviewing the staged diff first makes the snapshot’s contents visible before you record it.
Rank #2
Use branches to keep work separate
A branch gives work its own line of development. Names such as main or master are common examples, but a repository can use another base-branch name.
- List branches with
git branch. - Create a topic branch and switch to it with
git switch -c <topic-branch>. - Edit, inspect, stage, and commit changes on that branch.
- Switch back to the intended base branch with
git switch <base-branch>. - Integrate the topic branch with
git merge <topic-branch>.
git merge integrates the named branch into the branch you are currently on. Check the current branch before running it so the change lands in the intended place.
Fetch, review, and share remote work
A remote is another copy of the repository, often hosted for collaboration. git remote -v lists configured remote names and URLs. The everyday sharing sequence is to fetch remote information, inspect it, integrate the relevant branch, and then push your local commits when appropriate:
git remote -v
git fetch
git log --oneline --decorate --graph --all
git merge <remote>/<branch>
git pushgit fetch updates remote-tracking information without integrating those changes into your current branch. The log command can help you inspect the resulting commit graph before you choose what to merge. Replace <remote> and <branch> with names that exist in your repository.
git pull fetches and integrates changes using the current branch’s configured upstream settings. It does not mean “merge every change from every remote.” Depending on history and configuration, integration may use a merge or rebase strategy; conflicts are possible, and a merge commit is not guaranteed. If you want to review incoming work before integrating it, use git fetch first, inspect the changes, then merge explicitly.
git push sends local commits to a remote. A first push may require setting an upstream, depending on your Git configuration. If a command’s available options or behavior are unclear, use git help <command> or the official command reference.
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Choose a safe undo approach
Not every mistake calls for the same reset. In particular, git reset --hard can discard working-tree changes and move the current branch so a prior commit no longer has a remaining reference. Do not use it as a casual cleanup command; first identify which changes and commits you intend to keep. The official git-reset documentation describes its modes and effects.
Keep learning with the official guide
The Git project makes the online Pro Git book available for free. It includes command-line Git material and an appendix of commands; printed copies are also available through Amazon, but buying a book is not necessary to use Git.
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