Description: Notes on Pro Git (2nd ed.) Chapter 2 — initializing/cloning repos, recording changes (add/commit/rm/mv/.gitignore/diff), viewing history (log/show/reflog), undoing things (restore/reset/revert/amend), working with remotes, tagging, aliases. Plus git stash (technically Pro Git §7.3) placed here for workflow proximity.
My Notion Note ID: K2B-2-2
Created: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2026-05-19
License: Reuse is very welcome. Please credit Yu Zhang and link back to the original on yuzhang.io

1. Getting a Git Repository
2. Recording Changes
3. Viewing Commit History
4. Undoing Things
5. Working with Remotes
6. Tagging
7. Aliases
8. git stash (aside)
9. References

1. Getting a Git Repository

1.1 git init

git init — turn current directory into a Git repo (creates .git/).
git init --bare — bare repo (no working tree); used for server-side hosting.

1.2 git clone

git clone <url> [name] — full copy including history; optional rename.
URL schemes:
- SSH: [email protected]:user/repo.git
- HTTPS: https://github.com/user/repo.git
- Git (read-only): git://github.com/user/repo.git
- Local: /path/to/repo or file:///path/to/repo
git clone -o <remote> — set remote name (default origin).
git clone --depth <n> — shallow clone (last n commits only — saves disk/bandwidth).
git clone --branch <branch> — clone a single branch.

2. Recording Changes

File lifecycle: untracked → (add) → staged → (commit) → tracked/unmodified → (edit) → modified → (add) → staged → ...

2.1 git status

git status — staging snapshot.
git status -s / --short — compact: MM = staged+modified, ?? = untracked, A = newly staged.

2.2 .gitignore

Glob rules: *, ?, [abc].
# — comment.
! — negate (re-include).
Leading / — anchor (no recursive match).
Trailing / — directory only.
Templates: github.com/github/gitignore.

2.3 git diff

git diff — working tree vs staged (unstaged changes).
git diff --staged / --cached — staged vs last commit.
git diff <commit>..<commit> — between two commits.
git difftool — open in external diff tool.
VSCode as difftool:

git config --global diff.tool vscode
git config --global difftool.vscode.cmd 'code --wait --diff $LOCAL $REMOTE'

2.4 git add

git add <files> — stage. Globs work. git add . = all in cwd.
git add -A / --all — all changes including deletions.
git add -p / --patch — interactive hunk-by-hunk staging.

2.5 git commit

git commit — open editor for message.
git commit -m "msg" — one-liner.
git commit -a -m "msg" — auto-stage tracked-modified files (skips add; does NOT add untracked).
git commit --amend — replace last commit (only on unpushed commits — see § 4).

2.6 git rm

git rm <files> — delete from working tree + stage deletion.
git rm -f — force when staged + modified.
git rm --cached <file> — untrack but keep on disk (e.g. after committing something that should have been ignored).
git rm -r <dir> — recursive.

2.7 git mv

git mv from to — rename + stage. Equivalent to mv from to; git rm from; git add to.

3. Viewing Commit History

3.1 git log

git log — full commit history (default verbose).
git log -<n> — last n commits.
git log --oneline — one commit per line.
git log -p / --patch — show diff per commit.
git log --stat — file change stats.
git log --graph — ASCII branch graph.
git log --decorate — show branch/tag pointers.
git log --all — include all refs (not just current branch).
git log --no-merges — skip merge commits.
git log --pretty=<format> — oneline, short, full, fuller, format:"%h %an %s".

3.2 Filters

--since="2 weeks ago", --until=2026-01-01.
--author="Jon", --committer=.
--grep="bug" — match commit message.
-S "func_name" — pickaxe: commits where the count of occurrences of func_name changed.
-G <regex> — commits where any line matching regex changed (broader than -S).

3.3 Range syntax

<branch1>..<branch2> — commits in branch2 not in branch1.
<a>...<b> (triple-dot, with --left-right) — symmetric difference.
<not_shown>..<shown> ≡ <shown> ^<not_shown> ≡ <shown> --not <not_shown>.

3.4 git show

git show <ref> — commit/tag/blob/tree contents.
git show <ref>:<path> — file at that revision.

3.5 git reflog (technically §7.1)

git reflog — local history of every HEAD update (commit, checkout, reset, merge, rebase).
Refs like HEAD@{2}, HEAD@{yesterday}, <branch>@{1}.
Recovery lifeline — most "lost" commits findable here for ~90 days (default).
git reflog expire --expire=now --all — manually expire (used in large-file cleanup; see [[worktree-and-git-lfs]] § 4.5).

4. Undoing Things

4.1 git commit --amend

Replace the last commit (message and/or content).
Workflow: edit, git add forgotten files, then git commit --amend.
⚠️ Rewrites history → never on pushed commits.

4.2 git restore (Git 2.23+, modern)

git restore --staged <file> — unstage (keeps working-tree changes).
git restore <file> — discard working-tree changes. ⚠️ Permanent loss of uncommitted edits.
git restore --source=<commit> <file> — restore file content from a specific commit.
git restore --staged --worktree <file> — both at once.

4.3 git reset

git reset HEAD <file> — legacy unstage (git restore --staged superseded this).
Three modes affecting HEAD + index + worktree:
- git reset --soft <commit> — move HEAD only; index + worktree untouched.
- git reset --mixed <commit> (default) — move HEAD + reset index; worktree untouched.
- git reset --hard <commit> — move HEAD + reset index + reset worktree. ⚠️ Destroys uncommitted work.
Common: git reset --soft HEAD~1 — undo last commit but keep changes staged.

4.4 git checkout -- (legacy discard)

git checkout -- <file> — discard working-tree changes. ⚠️
Avoid in modern Git — use git restore.

4.5 git revert

git revert <commit> — create a new commit that undoes the target commit.
Safe for pushed history (doesn't rewrite) → preferred way to undo published work.
git revert -m <parent-num> <merge> — revert a merge commit.

4.6 Rule of thumb

Unshared commits: --amend / reset are fine.
Pushed commits: use revert.

5. Working with Remotes

5.1 git remote

git remote / -v — list remotes (with URLs).
git remote add <name> <url> — add a remote.
git remote show <remote> — branches, fetch/push URLs, tracking info.
git remote rename <old> <new>.
git remote remove <name> (or rm).
git remote set-url <name> <url> — change URL.

5.2 Remote-tracking branches

<remote>/<branch> (e.g. origin/main) — local read-only pointer to remote state at last sync.
Updated by git fetch (or git pull).
origin is just convention (set by clone); not special.
View tracking + ahead/behind: git branch -vv (cached — git fetch --all first for fresh).
Upstream shorthand: @{u} or @{upstream} (e.g. git merge @{u}).

5.3 git fetch

git fetch <remote> — download new commits + update remote-tracking branches; doesn't merge.
git fetch --all — all remotes.
git fetch --prune — delete local remote-tracking branches whose remote was deleted.

5.4 git pull

git pull = git fetch + git merge (or git rebase if pull.rebase=true).
Less explicit than fetch+merge/rebase; prefer the two-step for clarity.

5.5 git push

git push <remote> <branch> — push local branch to remote of same name.
git push <remote> <local>:<remote-branch> — push to different name.
git push -u origin <branch> — set upstream tracking on first push.
git push <remote> --delete <branch> — delete remote branch.
git push --force-with-lease — safer force-push (fails if remote moved since last fetch); prefer over --force.

5.6 Tracking branches (creating from remote)

git checkout -b <local> <remote>/<branch> — create + track.
git checkout --track <remote>/<branch> — auto-name.
git checkout <branch> — auto-track if <branch> matches exactly one remote's branch (Git 1.6.2+).
git branch -u <remote>/<branch> — set upstream on existing branch.
git switch / git switch -c — modern alternative to checkout for branches (Git 2.23+).

6. Tagging

Tag = immutable named pointer to a commit (vs branch pointer, which moves).
Lightweight — just a ref:
- git tag <name> · git tag <name> <commit>.
Annotated — full object with tagger, date, message, signature:
- git tag -a <name> -m "msg".
- git tag -a <name> <commit> -m "msg".
- Preferred for releases.
List: git tag · git tag -l "v1.*".
Show: git show <tag>.
Delete local: git tag -d <name>.
Push tags (not pushed by default):
- git push <remote> <tag> — one.
- git push <remote> --tags — all.
Delete remote tag: git push <remote> --delete <tag> or git push <remote> :refs/tags/<tag>.

7. Aliases

git config --global alias.co checkout
git config --global alias.br branch
git config --global alias.ci commit
git config --global alias.st status
git config --global alias.unstage 'reset HEAD --'
git config --global alias.last 'log -1 HEAD'

# Pretty log alias
git config --global alias.lg "log --graph --oneline --decorate --all"

# External commands — prefix with `!`
git config --global alias.visual '!gitk'

8. git stash (aside)

Technically Pro Git §7.3, placed here for workflow proximity:

git stash / git stash push — save staged + tracked-modified; restore clean working tree.
git stash push -u / --include-untracked — also stash untracked.
git stash push -p / --patch — interactive hunk select.
git stash push -m "msg" — name the stash.
git stash list.
git stash apply [stash@{n}] — re-apply (keep on stack); free to apply on different branch.
git stash pop — apply + drop.
git stash drop [stash@{n}] — discard.
git stash branch <name> — new branch from stash + apply (handy when stash conflicts with current HEAD).

Pro Git Ch2 — Git Basics

Table of Contents

1. Getting a Git Repository

1.1 git init

1.2 git clone

2. Recording Changes

2.1 git status

2.2 .gitignore

2.3 git diff

2.4 git add

2.5 git commit

2.6 git rm

2.7 git mv

3. Viewing Commit History

3.1 git log

3.2 Filters

3.3 Range syntax

3.4 git show

3.5 git reflog (technically §7.1)

4. Undoing Things

4.1 git commit --amend

4.2 git restore (Git 2.23+, modern)

4.3 git reset

4.4 git checkout -- (legacy discard)

4.5 git revert

4.6 Rule of thumb

5. Working with Remotes

5.1 git remote

5.2 Remote-tracking branches

5.3 git fetch

5.4 git pull

5.5 git push

5.6 Tracking branches (creating from remote)

6. Tagging

7. Aliases

8. git stash (aside)

9. References