Git for Developers

Git, the ubiquitous version control system, is a developer's best friend. While many are familiar with the basics like git commit and git push, Git offers a treasure trove of advanced features that can significantly enhance your workflow. Let's explore some of these lesser-known but incredibly useful commands.

1. Git Stash: Temporarily Save Changes

When you're working on a feature and need to switch to another task, git stash is your lifesaver. It allows you to temporarily save your uncommitted changes without creating a commit.

git stash

To apply the stashed changes later:

git stash apply

2. Git Reflog: Recover Lost Commits

Accidentally deleted a branch or reset to the wrong commit? Don't panic. git reflog keeps track of all changes to the tip of branches, enabling you to recover lost commits.

git reflog

3. Git Bisect: Find the Commit That Broke Your Code

Debugging can be a tedious process. git bisect performs a binary search through your commit history to pinpoint the exact commit that introduced a bug.

git bisect start
git bisect good <last known good commit>
git bisect bad <bad commit>

4. Git Cherry-Pick: Selectively Apply Commits

Need to apply specific commits from one branch to another without merging the entire branch? git cherry-pick is your tool.

git cherry-pick <commit-hash>

5. Git Reset --hard: Reset Your Code Completely

Use with caution! git reset --hard resets your working directory to a specific commit, discarding any uncommitted changes.

git reset --hard <commit-hash>

6. Git Blame: Who Changed This Line of Code?

Curious about who made the last change to a particular line of code? git blame shows you the history.

git blame <file>

7. Git Clean: Remove Untracked Files

Keep your working directory clean with git clean. It removes untracked files from your project.

git clean -f

8. Git Shortlog: Summarize Contributions

Get a quick overview of contributions by author with git shortlog.

git shortlog -s -n

By mastering these advanced Git commands, you'll streamline your development process, improve code quality, and collaborate more effectively.