Git Cheatsheet

A very bare-bones sample git workflow for the command line - for those moments when you just can't remember that one thing!

Creating a new repo

Navigate to the directory where you want the repo to live on your machine
Clone the repo using git clone paste_clone_url_here
Navigate into the newly created repo directory with cd reponame
Set up the .gitignore file using nano .gitignore on Mac or Linux, and notepad .gitignore on Windows
Commit and push your changes to establish the connection between your local copy of the repo and the online one (called the "remote")

Creates a snapshot of the status of every tracked file in the repo

git add --all - tells git to track any newly-added files
git commit -m "Some useful message about what changes are contained in this commit"
git push - uploads your changes to the remote repo (i.e. on Github)

To do new work without messing up working code on another branch

git branch branchname - make a new branch locally
git checkout branchname - switch to editing the new branch (these two commands can be accomplished with the shortcut: git checkout -b branchname)
Commit (push will fail because the branch isn't yet linked to any corresponding branch on the remote) - do point 4:
git push -u origin branchname - shorthand for git push --set-upstream origin branchname; sets the remote branch which the local should interface with. origin is the remote name

To merge finished, working code into another branch

Make sure all changes on both involved branches are committed and pushed - use git status to check
git checkout receivingbranch - merge is a "receiving" operation
git merge otherbranch - merges changes into receivingbranch
git push

Delete a branch once it's merged to avoid clutter abnd confusion