Git & GitHub

Complete guide to Git version control commands and workflows

A comprehensive reference for Git commands organized by workflow. Master version control from initial setup through advanced branch management.

Configuration

Initial Configuration

Set up your Git identity before making any commits.

Command	Description
git config --global user.name "Nome"	Define the global username
git config --global user.email "email"	Define the global email address

These settings are stored globally and apply to all repositories on your machine unless overridden locally.

Repository

Commands for initializing and connecting repositories.

Command	Description
git init	Initialize a Git repository in the current folder
git clone <url>	Copy a remote repository to your local machine
git remote add origin <url>	Link the local repository to a remote repository on GitHub

Start a new repository

git init
git remote add origin https://github.com/username/repo.git

Daily Workflow

Essential commands for everyday Git usage.

Command	Description
git status	Show which files were modified, added, or removed
git add <arquivo>	Add a specific file to staging area (prepared for commit)
git add .	Add all modified files to staging at once
git commit -m "mensagem"	Save a snapshot of staged changes with a descriptive message
git push	Send local commits to the remote repository on GitHub
git push -u origin main	Send and set the default remote branch (required first time)
git pull	Download and integrate changes from remote repository into current branch
git fetch	Download remote changes without integrating them — only updates references

Typical Daily Workflow

Check status

git status

Stage and commit changes

git add .
git commit -m "Add new feature"

Push to remote

git push

Pull latest changes

git pull

Branches

Work on features in isolation and merge them when ready.

Command	Description
git branch	List all local branches and indicate the current one
git branch <nome>	Create a new branch without switching to it
git checkout <nome>	Switch to the specified branch
git checkout -b <nome>	Create a new branch and switch to it at the same time
git merge <branch>	Merge changes from specified branch into current branch
git branch -d <nome>	Delete the local branch after it has been merged

Feature Branch Workflow

Create and switch to new branch

git checkout -b feature/new-feature

Work on feature

git add .
git commit -m "Implement feature"

Merge back to main

git checkout main
git merge feature/new-feature

Delete feature branch

git branch -d feature/new-feature

Quick Branch Switch

List all branches

git branch

Switch branches

git checkout main
git checkout develop

Create and switch

git checkout -b hotfix/urgent-fix

History and Inspection

Review your project’s commit history and changes.

Command	Description
git log	Display complete commit history of current branch
git log --oneline	Display summarized history, one commit per line
git diff	Show differences between modified files and last commit

Full log

git log

Undoing Changes

Revert or discard unwanted changes safely.

Command	Description
git restore <arquivo>	Discard changes in a file, reverting to last commit
git restore --staged <arquivo>	Remove a file from staging without discarding changes
git revert <hash>	Create a new commit undoing changes from a specific commit
git stash	Temporarily save uncommitted changes to clean the workspace

Avoid using git reset --hard on shared branches — it rewrites history and can cause conflicts for the team.

Stash Workflow

Save work in progress

git stash

List stashed changes

git stash list

Apply latest stash

git stash pop

Apply specific stash

git stash apply stash@{0}

Best Practices

Commit Messages

Write clear, descriptive commit messages that explain why changes were made, not just what changed.

Commit Often

Make small, frequent commits rather than large, infrequent ones. Easier to track and revert if needed.

Pull Before Push

Always pull the latest changes before pushing to avoid conflicts and merge issues.

Branch Strategy

Use branches for features, fixes, and experiments. Keep main/master branch stable and deployable.