Git Workflow Cheatsheet

Create a new branch from main for isolated feature development

git checkout -b feature/user-auth main

Push branch to remote and set upstream tracking

git push -u origin feature/user-auth

Keep feature branch updated with latest main changes

git checkout feature/user-auth
git pull origin main --rebase

Open a pull request for code review using GitHub CLI

gh pr create --base main --head feature/user-auth --title "Add auth"

Clean up local branch after merge to main

git branch -d feature/user-auth
git push origin --delete feature/user-auth

Set up repository with git flow branch structure

git flow init -d

Create feature branch from develop branch

git flow feature start payment-gateway

Merge feature into develop and delete feature branch

git flow feature finish payment-gateway

Create release branch from develop for final testing

git flow release start 1.2.0

Merge release into main and develop with version tag

git flow release finish 1.2.0

Create hotfix branch from main for urgent production fixes

git flow hotfix start critical-security-patch

Merge hotfix into both main and develop branches

git flow hotfix finish critical-security-patch

Create release branch manually without git-flow extension

git checkout -b release/1.2.0 develop
git checkout main
git merge release/1.2.0

Create small branch that lives max 1-2 days before merging

git checkout -b jd/fix-login main

Frequently rebase on main to minimize merge conflicts

git fetch origin
git rebase origin/main

Use feature flags to merge incomplete features safely to main

git commit -m "Add new UI behind feature flag"

For small trusted teams commit directly to trunk

git add .
git commit -m "Fix typo"
git push origin main

Ensure all commits pass CI before integration

git push origin main

Creates merge commit preserving complete branch history

git checkout main
git merge feature/auth --no-ff

Combine all branch commits into single commit on target

git checkout main
git merge --squash feature/auth
git commit -m "Add authentication"

Replay commits on main for linear history then fast-forward

git checkout feature/auth
git rebase main
git checkout main
git merge feature/auth

Only merge if fast-forward is possible without merge commit

git checkout main
git merge --ff-only feature/auth

Use when preserving feature branch context and history matters

# Good for long-running features, team collaboration

Use for messy branch history or WIP commits you want to hide

# Good for small features, clean main history

Use for linear history when branch has no shared commits

# Good for personal branches, before PR

Open editor to modify last n commits interactively

git rebase -i HEAD~5

Keep commit as-is without changes

pick abc1234 Add login feature

Keep commit but edit the commit message

reword abc1234 Add login feature

Pause at commit to amend changes or split it

edit abc1234 Add login feature
# Then: git commit --amend

Combine commit with previous and merge commit messages

pick abc1234 Add login
squash def5678 Fix login typo

Combine with previous commit but discard this message

pick abc1234 Add login
fixup def5678 Fix typo

Remove commit entirely from history

drop abc1234 WIP commit

Change commit order by moving lines in the rebase editor

pick def5678 Second commit
pick abc1234 First commit

Cancel rebase and return to original state

git rebase --abort

Continue rebase after resolving conflicts or amending

git add .
git rebase --continue

Auto-arrange fixup! and squash! prefixed commits

git commit --fixup=abc1234
git rebase -i --autosquash HEAD~3

Show files with merge conflicts needing resolution

git status
# both modified: src/app.js

Show detailed conflict markers in affected files

git diff --name-only --diff-filter=U

Keep your branch version and discard incoming changes

git checkout --ours src/app.js
git add src/app.js

Accept the other branch version and discard yours

git checkout --theirs src/app.js
git add src/app.js

Manually edit file to combine both changes as needed

# Edit src/app.js
git add src/app.js

Open configured visual merge tool for conflict resolution

git config merge.tool vscode
git mergetool

Stage resolved files and commit to complete merge

git add .
git commit -m "Resolve merge conflicts"

Cancel merge and return to pre-merge state

git merge --abort

Undo commits keeping changes staged for recommit

git reset --soft HEAD~1
# Changes remain staged

Undo commits keeping changes in working directory unstaged

git reset HEAD~2
# Changes remain but unstaged

Completely remove commits and all changes permanently

git reset --hard HEAD~1
# All changes lost!

Reset branch to exact state of specified commit

git reset --hard abc1234

Create new commit that undoes changes without rewriting history

git revert abc1234
# Safe for shared branches

Revert a range of commits creating individual revert commits

git revert abc1234^..def5678

Apply revert changes to working directory without committing

git revert -n abc1234
git revert -n def5678
git commit -m "Revert features"

Restore specific file to state from any commit

git restore --source=HEAD~2 src/app.js

Unstage file keeping working directory changes

git restore --staged src/app.js

Discard working directory changes reverting to staged or HEAD

git restore src/app.js

Remove all uncommitted changes and untracked files

git restore .
git clean -fd

Show history of all HEAD movements including deleted commits

git reflog
# abc1234 HEAD@{0}: commit: Add feature

Show reflog for specific branch only

git reflog show main

Restore branch to state captured in reflog entry

git reflog
git reset --hard HEAD@{2}

Recreate deleted branch from its last known commit

git reflog
git checkout -b feature/recovered HEAD@{5}

Apply specific lost commit to current branch

git reflog
git cherry-pick abc1234

Return to state before last rebase or merge operation

git reset --hard ORIG_HEAD

Find orphaned commits including dropped stashes

git fsck --unreachable | grep commit
git show <hash>

Remove reflog entries older than specified time

git reflog expire --expire=30.days --all