Top 28 Git Commands for Developers in 2025: Key Benefits and Examples
Updated on Feb 19, 2025 | 26 min read | 1.1k views
Share:
For working professionals
For fresh graduates
More
Updated on Feb 19, 2025 | 26 min read | 1.1k views
Share:
Git is the most widely used version control system for tracking and managing code changes. A proper understanding of Git commands is required for developers to efficiently collaborate and maintain version history. Mastering the Git command-line interface (CLI) empowers developers to execute operations quickly and automate tasks, improving workflow efficiency.
This blog will delve into key Git commands with examples, highlighting their significance in streamlining version control tasks and enhancing team collaboration.
In 2025, Git remains to be an integral part of version control in software development. This guide highlights essential Git commands that developers should be familiar with, offering examples for various use cases. For instance, using git branch and git checkout allows developers to efficiently manage different feature branches, while git merge helps integrate changes from different developers.
Mastering these commands will ensure smooth collaboration, version tracking, and conflict resolution throughout the development process.
Here is a table showcasing the top Git commands available in 2025, including their syntax and purpose:
Command Name |
Syntax |
Purpose |
Git init | git init | Initializes a new Git repository in the current directory. |
Git commit | git commit -m "message" | Records changes made to the repository, with a descriptive message about the changes. |
Git branch | git branch [branch_name] | Creates a new branch or lists all existing branches. |
Git checkout | git checkout [branch_name] | Switches to the specified branch or restores files. git switch (for changing branches) git restore (for restoring files) |
Git merge | git merge [branch_name] | Merges the changes from another branch into the current branch. |
Git pull | git pull origin [branch_name] | Fetches and merges changes from a remote repository into the current branch. |
Git remote | `git remote [add|remove] [name] [url] | The git remote command allows you to manage the set of remotes for your Git repository. |
Git clone | git clone [url] | Clones an existing Git repository from a remote URL to the local machine. |
Git log | git log | Displays a list of all commits in the repository history. |
Git fetch | git fetch origin [branch_name] | Fetches the latest changes from a remote repository without merging them. |
Git blame | git blame [file] | Displays the line-by-line commit history for a specific file, showing who made each change. |
Git stash | git stash | Saves changes temporarily, allowing you to switch branches or work on something else. |
Git tag | git tag [tag_name] | Creates a new tag to mark specific points in the repository's history, such as releases. |
Git cherry-pick | git cherry-pick [commit_hash] | Applies a specific commit from another branch to the current branch. |
Git rebase | git rebase [branch_name] | Applies changes from the current branch onto the tip of another branch, rewriting commit history. |
Git bisect | git bisect start | Helps find the commit that introduced a bug by performing a binary search through commit history. |
Git worktree | git worktree add [path] [branch] | Adds a new working tree to a repository, allowing multiple branches to be worked on simultaneously. |
Git reflog | git reflog | Displays the history of changes made to the current branch, including resets and checkouts. |
Git rerere | git rerere | Helps resolve merge conflicts by recording resolutions to previously encountered conflicts. |
Git submodule | git submodule add [url] [path] | Adds a new submodule to the repository at a specified path. |
Git filter-branch | git filter-branch --[options] [ref] | Rewrites the commit history, applying specified filters like removing a file or modifying commit details. |
Git update-index | git update-index | Manages the staged files in the Git index, such as updating file timestamps or adding content. |
Git gc | git gc | Cleans up unnecessary files and optimizes the repository, improving performance. |
Git instaweb | git instaweb | Instantly generates a local Git web interface for browsing the repository history. |
Git submodule foreach | git submodule foreach [command] | Executes a specified command in all submodules of the repository. |
Git diff | git diff | Displays differences between changes in the working directory and the staging area. |
Git show | git show [commit_hash] | Displays detailed information about a specific commit, including changes made and commit message. |
Git config | git config [option] [value] | Configures Git settings for the repository, user, or system-wide options. |
Let us now have a look at each of these Git commands with examples and other details:
The git init command is used to initialize a new Git repository in the current directory. It creates a .git subdirectory that contains all necessary metadata and configuration files. This is the first step in setting up version control for a project, whether it’s a new project or an existing one.
Syntax and Use Case:
git init
Initializes a new Git repository in the current directory.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git init
Initializes a Git repository in the current project folder.
The git commit command is used to save changes made to the repository. Each commit captures the state of the repository and includes a message describing the changes made. It’s a fundamental command for recording project history and collaborating with other developers.
Syntax and Use Case:
git commit -m "Your commit message"
Records changes with a descriptive message explaining what was done.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git commit -m "Fixed login bug"
Commits the changes with the message "Fixed login bug."
The git branch command manages branches within a Git repository. Branching allows multiple developments to occur in parallel without affecting the main codebase. It’s an essential tool for managing features, bug fixes, or experiments in isolation.
Syntax and Use Case:
git branch [branch_name]
Creates a new branch with the specified name.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git branch feature/login
Creates a new branch called feature/login.
The git checkout command is used to switch between branches or restore working directory files to their state in the repository. It’s a versatile command for navigating and managing different versions of a project.
Syntax and Use Case:
git checkout [branch_name]
Switches to an existing branch.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git checkout feature/login
Switches to the feature/login branch.
The git merge command integrates changes from one branch into another. It's typically used to bring feature work into the main branch after development is complete. Merging allows developers to combine different lines of development into a unified codebase.
Git workflows are essential for managing collaboration and version control effectively. Techniques like Feature Branching, GitFlow, and Trunk-Based Development provide structured approaches to parallel development.
These workflows help maintain clean histories, track feature development, and avoid integration issues.
Syntax and Use Case:
git merge [branch_name]
Merges the changes from the specified branch into the current branch.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git merge feature/login
Merges the changes from the feature/login branch into the current branch.
The git pull command is used to fetch and merge changes from a remote repository into your local branch. This is essential for keeping your local copy up to date with the latest changes from teammates or remote sources.
Syntax and Use Case:
git pull origin [branch_name]
Pulls changes from the remote branch and integrates them into the current local branch.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git pull origin main
Fetches updates from the main branch on the remote repository and merges them into the local main branch.
The git remote command is used to manage connections to remote repositories. It allows developers to configure and interact with repositories hosted on external services like GitHub or GitLab, making collaboration possible across different machines.
Modern development environments integrate Git with platforms like GitHub and GitLab, making CI/CD pipelines smoother. These platforms enable automatic testing and deployment every time code changes are pushed to the repository, ensuring faster and more reliable development cycles.
Syntax and Use Case:
git remote add [name] [url]
Adds a new remote repository with a specified name and URL.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git remote add origin https://github.com/user/repo.git
Adds a remote repository named origin from the given URL.
Also Read: Introduction to Cloud Computing
The git clone command is used to create a local copy of a remote repository. This command copies all the project files, branches, and commit history, making it useful for getting started on a project or collaborating with others.
Syntax and Use Case:
git clone [repository_url]
It clones a remote repository on to your local machine.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git clone https://github.com/user/repo.git
Clones the repository from the specified URL to your local machine.
The git log is a command that is used to show the commit history of a repository. It shows a list of commits, their associated commit messages, and metadata such as the author and timestamp. It is essential for tracking changes, reviewing project history, and navigating through past commits.
Syntax and Use Case:
git log
The commit history for the present branch is displayed.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git log --oneline
Displays a concise commit history with one line per commit.
The git fetch command downloads the changes from a remote repository without actually merging them in the local branch. It allows you to review changes before incorporating them into your working directory. It’s crucial for keeping your local repository up to date.
Syntax and Use Case:
git fetch origin [branch_name]
Fetches the changes from a specific branch on the remote repository.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git fetch origin main
It fetches the changes from the main branch on the remote repository.
The git blame command shows the commit history for each line in a file, indicating who last modified each line and when. This command is useful for understanding the history behind specific code changes and identifying responsible contributors.
Syntax and Use Case:
git blame [file_name]
It presents the commit history for a specific file.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git blame app.js
Shows who last modified each line of the app.js file.
The git stash command temporarily saves changes in your working directory, allowing you to switch to another branch or task without losing your progress. It’s useful for saving incomplete work before switching context.
Syntax and Use Case:
git stash
Stashes all uncommitted changes to be reapplied later.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git stash
Stashes the uncommitted changes in your working directory.
The git tag is a command that is used to create a reference to a specific commit, typically marking important points like releases. Tags provide a simple way to record version information or milestones in a project’s history.
Syntax and Use Case:
git tag [tag_name]
Tags the current commit with the specified tag name.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git tag v1.0
Tags the current commit with the version v1.0.
Also Read: Top Open Source Projects for Beginners
The git cherry-pick is a command that enables users to apply a specific commit from one branch to another. It’s useful when you want to incorporate a change from another branch without merging the entire branch.
Syntax and Use Case:
git cherry-pick [commit_hash]
Applies the specified commit from another branch to your current branch.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git cherry-pick 1a2b3c4
Applies the commit 1a2b3c4 to the current branch.
The git rebase command is used to integrate changes from one branch into another by rewriting the commit history. Unlike git merge, which combines branches and preserves the entire commit history, rebase moves or reapplies commits onto a new base commit, creating a cleaner, linear history.
Rebase is ideal when you want to maintain a streamlined history without extra merge commits. On the other hand, merge preserves all commit histories and is better when it's essential to track the exact branching process.
Syntax and Use Case:
git rebase [branch_name]
Reapplies commits from the current branch onto the specified branch.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git rebase main
Reapplies changes from the current branch onto the main branch.
The git bisect is a command that helps to find the commit that brought in a bug. This is done by doing a binary search through the project’s history. It’s an invaluable tool for debugging complex issues when the source of the bug is unknown.
Syntax and Use Case:
git bisect start
Starts a binary search through the commit history to identify the commit that introduced an issue.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git bisect start
Begins the process of finding the faulty commit.
Also Read: What is Debugging in Coding: Tools & Techniques for Debugging Explained
The git worktree command allows you to create additional working directories associated with the same repository. This is helpful when you need to work on multiple branches simultaneously without switching between them.
Syntax and Use Case:
git worktree add [path] [branch_name]
Adds a new working tree for the specified branch.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git worktree add /path/to/new/worktree feature/login
Creates a new working directory for the feature/login branch.
The git reflog command shows the history of all references in the current branch, including movements, resets, and checkouts. It’s useful for tracking changes and recovering lost commits or branches.
Syntax and Use Case:
git reflog
Displays the history of reference updates for the current branch.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git reflog
Displays all reference changes, including resets and checkouts.
The git rerere command stands for "reuse recorded resolution" and is used to automatically resolve merge conflicts that you’ve already resolved once before. This command is particularly helpful when working on long-lived branches or frequently merging the same set of changes.
Syntax and Use Case:
git rerere
Enables Git to record and reuse conflict resolutions for future merges.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git rerere
Enables the rerere feature to automatically reuse conflict resolutions.
Also Read: Difference between Testing and Debugging
The git submodule command is used to manage nested repositories within a Git repository. It allows developers to keep external libraries or other repositories as part of the project while maintaining their independence from the main repository.
Syntax and Use Case:
git submodule add [url] [path]
Adds a new submodule to the repository at a specified path.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git submodule add https://github.com/user/library.git libs/library
Adds the external repository at the specified URL as a submodule in the libs/library directory.
The git filter-branch command is used to rewrite the history of a Git repository, typically to remove or modify files and commits. It’s useful for cleaning up repository history, such as removing sensitive data or large files.
Syntax and Use Case:
git filter-branch --[options] [ref]
Rewrites the commit history, applying specified filters like removing a file or modifying commit details.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git filter-branch --tree-filter 'rm -f secret.txt' HEAD
Removes secret.txt from the entire repository history.
The git update-index command is used to update the index (staging area) in Git. It’s commonly used for updating file permissions, adding/removing files from the staging area, or modifying the index without affecting the working directory.
Syntax and Use Case:
git update-index --[options] [file]
Modifies the index or stages changes for specific files.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git update-index --chmod=+x script.sh
Updates the permissions of script.sh to make it executable.
The git gc (garbage collection) command optimizes the repository by cleaning up unnecessary files and compressing the database. This helps in bringing down the overall size of the repository as well as improve performance by cleaning up old data.
Syntax and Use Case:
git gc
Runs garbage collection to optimize the repository.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git gc
Runs garbage collection on the current repository to clean up unnecessary files.
The git instaweb command sets up a local Git web interface for browsing and interacting with a repository’s commit history. It serves as a quick, local version of a Git web interface like GitHub or GitLab.
Syntax and Use Case:
git instaweb
Sets up a local web server to browse the repository's history.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git instaweb
Sets up a local web server to view the repository’s commit history and other data through a browser.
Also Read: GitHub vs GitLab: Difference Between GitHub and GitLab
The git submodule foreach command is used to execute a specified command in all of a repository's submodules. It is particularly useful when you need to perform operations on multiple submodules within a project, like updating all submodules at once or checking their status.
Syntax and Use Case:
git submodule foreach [command]
Executes the provided command in all submodules of the repository.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git submodule foreach git pull origin main
Runs git pull origin main in all submodules, ensuring they are up-to-date.
The git diff is a command that is used to show the differences between the working directory and the index (staging area) or between the index and the last commit. This is essential for reviewing changes before committing and tracking code modifications over time.
Syntax and Use Case:
git diff
It displays the changes that are present between the working directory and the index (or the last commit).
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git diff HEAD
It displays the changes present between the working directory and the last commit (HEAD).
Also Read: Top 30+ Full Stack Projects on GitHub to Elevate Your Coding Skills
The git show command shows detailed information about a specific commit, including the commit message, author, and the diff of changes made. It's useful for examining individual commits in more detail, especially when tracing code changes or reviewing pull requests.
Syntax and Use Case:
git show [commit_hash]
Displays detailed information about a specific commit.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git show 1a2b3c4
Shows detailed information about the commit with hash 1a2b3c4, including changes and commit message.
The git config is a command that is used to set Git configuration values at different levels, such as system-wide, user-specific, or repository-specific. These configurations control Git’s behavior, such as user name, email, editor, and more.
Syntax and Use Case:
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
Sets global Git configuration, in this case, the user’s name.
Key Features and Benefits:
Example:
$ git config --global user.email "you@indiayou.com"
Sets the global email configuration for commits.
Mastering the essential Git commands is the first step to becoming proficient in version control. Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the core commands, you can then focus on selecting the most effective ones based on your project needs.
Let’s now explore how to choose the perfect Git command to optimize your workflow and make version control even more efficient.
Choosing the right Git command for your workflow is crucial for maintaining an efficient, scalable, and collaborative development process. Git’s flexibility allows for various commands to suit different scenarios, but selecting the right ones can be overwhelming without understanding your project’s specific needs.
Here’s a guide on how to evaluate and select the most appropriate Git commands with examples based on various factors.
Identifying Your Git Workflow Goals and Requirements
The first step in selecting the right Git commands is understanding the specific goals of your version control system. Are you managing a small, solo project, or collaborating with a team on a large-scale application?
Factors to Consider
When selecting the Git commands that fit best for your workflow, keep the following factors in mind:
For instance, if your project grows significantly, it’s important to run git gc regularly to reduce the repository size and improve performance.
These commands help you manage parallel development, integrate changes, and ensure your branch histories are clean. For example, git rebase offers a way to apply changes linearly to avoid the clutter of unnecessary merge commits.
For instance, git submodule is crucial when you need to manage dependencies from external repositories within your project, keeping everything aligned and up to date.
How to Evaluate Key Features?
Selecting the right Git commands means evaluating them based on these important features:
Additionally, commands like git submodule help maintain consistency when dealing with large, distributed codebases.
Similarly, you can use git commit --amend to fix mistakes in the latest commit without creating a new one.
Additionally, using git tag ensures that specific stable versions or secure releases are marked for deployment, preventing accidental pushes of insecure or incomplete code.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even with an understanding of Git commands, developers can make several mistakes that can complicate workflows or introduce errors.
Here are some common mistakes to avoid:
Ensure you check the status of a branch and resolve conflicts before merging. You may want to use git rebase if you want a cleaner, linear history without the clutter of merge commits.
This two-step process allows you to review changes before integrating them, helping to avoid unexpected code modifications.
Not doing so could result in lost progress or messy commit history.
Poor commit messages can confuse collaborators and make it difficult to trace the purpose of specific changes in the future.
Understanding the key Git commands and their benefits is crucial for any developer. Once you're familiar with these commands, the next step is to deepen your knowledge and refine your skills through structured learning.
Let’s explore how upGrad can support you in mastering Git commands and enhance your version control expertise.
upGrad’s software-focused programs offer hands-on training, from mastering basic Git commands to advanced strategies for optimizing version control workflows.
Here are some of the top upGrad courses to support your Git learning journey:
For personalized guidance, connect with upGrad’s counselors or visit a nearby upGrad career center. With expert guidance and an industry-focused curriculum, you’ll gain the skills to tackle version control challenges and advance your software development career!
Boost your career with our popular Software Engineering courses, offering hands-on training and expert guidance to turn you into a skilled software developer.
Master in-demand Software Development skills like coding, system design, DevOps, and agile methodologies to excel in today’s competitive tech industry.
Stay informed with our widely-read Software Development articles, covering everything from coding techniques to the latest advancements in software engineering.
Get Free Consultation
By submitting, I accept the T&C and
Privacy Policy
India’s #1 Tech University
Executive PG Certification in AI-Powered Full Stack Development
77%
seats filled
Top Resources