Question 1

How do I undo the last git commit?

Accepted Answer

Use 'git reset --soft HEAD~1' to undo the last commit while keeping your changes staged. Use 'git reset --mixed HEAD~1' (the default) to unstage the changes but keep them in your working directory. Use 'git reset --hard HEAD~1' to discard the changes entirely.

Question 2

How do I delete a git branch?

Accepted Answer

To delete a local branch: 'git branch -d branch-name' (safe delete — fails if unmerged) or 'git branch -D branch-name' (force delete). To delete a remote branch: 'git push origin --delete branch-name'.

Question 3

How do I see what changed in git?

Accepted Answer

Use 'git diff' to see unstaged changes, 'git diff --staged' to see staged changes, 'git log --oneline' to see the commit history, or 'git show commit-hash' to see changes in a specific commit.

Question 4

What is git stash and how do I use it?

Accepted Answer

Git stash temporarily saves uncommitted changes so you can switch branches or pull updates. Use 'git stash' to save, 'git stash pop' to restore and remove the stash, or 'git stash apply' to restore without removing. 'git stash list' shows all saved stashes.

Question 5

How do I rename a git branch?

Accepted Answer

To rename your current branch: 'git branch -m new-name'. To rename a different branch: 'git branch -m old-name new-name'. If you've already pushed the old branch, also run: 'git push origin :old-name new-name'.

Question 6

How do I squash commits in git?

Accepted Answer

Use interactive rebase: 'git rebase -i HEAD~N' where N is the number of commits to squash. In the editor, change 'pick' to 'squash' (or 's') for commits you want to merge into the previous one. Save and edit the combined commit message.

Question 7

What is the difference between git merge and git rebase?

Accepted Answer

Git merge combines branches by creating a new merge commit, preserving the full history of both branches. Git rebase replays your commits on top of another branch, creating a linear history. Use merge for public/shared branches; use rebase to clean up local commits before merging.

Question 8

How do I clone a specific branch?

Accepted Answer

Use 'git clone --branch branch-name --single-branch https://repo-url.git' to clone only that branch. Or clone normally with 'git clone url' and then checkout the branch with 'git checkout branch-name'.

Git Cheatsheet

Pro tips

Alias your most-used commands

Use --fixup for clean history

Never force-push to main

stash with a message

Frequently asked git questions