10 Git Commands You’ll Wish You Knew Earlier

Git can feel intimidating when you’re starting out. Most of us stick to the basics: git add, git commit, and git push. That works... until it doesn’t. These 10 commands can save you when things get tricky.

1. git reflog

Ever made a mistake so bad you wished you could turn back time? git reflog is your time machine.

• Use case: Recover a commit after a bad reset or deleted branch.

git reflog
    

2. git cherry-pick

Need a specific commit from another branch? Use git cherry-pick without merging the entire branch.

• Use case: Apply a bug fix from one branch to another.

git cherry-pick <commit-hash>
    

3. git bisect

Debugging a bug that suddenly appeared? Let Git do the detective work with git bisect.

• Use case: Identify the exact commit introducing a bug.

git bisect start
git bisect bad
git bisect good <commit-hash>
    

4. git stash pop

Switch branches without losing your work using git stash, then restore it with git stash pop.

• Use case: Temporarily save uncommitted changes to focus on a critical bug fix.

git stash pop
    

5. git reset --soft

Want to rework a commit? Move it back to the staging area without losing changes.

• Use case: Re-edit a recent commit.

git reset --soft HEAD~1
    

6. git blame

Identify who modified each line in a file with git blame.

• Use case: Understand why a specific change was made.

git blame <file>
    

7. git log --oneline --graph

View your project’s history in a simple, visual format.

• Use case: Track branching and merging histories.

git log --oneline --graph --all
    

8. git clean -f

Clean up untracked files cluttering your working directory.

• Use case: Remove conflicting untracked files when pulling updates.

git clean -f
    

9. git rebase -i

Clean up messy commit histories with interactive rebasing.

• Use case: Squash or edit commits before merging.

git rebase -i HEAD~<number-of-commits>
    

10. git diff --staged

Review staged changes before committing with git diff --staged.

• Use case: Double-check staged modifications.

git diff --staged
    

Conclusion

Mastering these commands can save you from common Git headaches and make your workflow smoother. Which of these commands will you try first?