Git Alias

This project provides many git alias commands that you can use as you like.

Contents:

• Introduction
  • What is Git Alias?
  • Where is the code?
  • Why use this?
• Install
  • Install with typical usage
  • Install with custom usage
• Examples
  • Shortcut examples
  • Popular examples
  • Accelerator examples
  • Recovery examples
  • Coordination examples
  • Workflow examples
  • Optimization examples
• Customization
  • Status
  • Log
  • Format
• Contributor advice
• Epilog
  • See also
  • To do
  • Thanks

Introduction

What is Git Alias?

Git Alias is a collection of git version control shortcuts, functions, and commands:

• Shortcuts such as s for status.

• Improvements such as optimize to do a prune and repack with recommended settings.

• Workflows such as topic-start to create a new topic branch for a new feature.

• Visualizations such as graphviz to show logs and charts using third-party tools.

Where is the code?

To see the complete code, view this file:

• gitalias.txt

Why use this?

We are creating this alias list because we type these commands many times daily, and we want the commands to be fast and also accurate.

We often work on teams, across many companies and organizations, and using multiple shells. We want to count on a set of aliases. For shorter commands, such as s for status, fast speed is nice. For longer commands, such as repacker, accurate settings are important.

Install

Install with typical usage

Download the file gitalias.txt and include it:

curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/GitAlias/gitalias/master/gitalias.txt -o ~/.gitalias 
git config --global include.path ~/.gitalias

Install with custom usage

Download the file gitalias.txt any way you want, such as:

curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/GitAlias/gitalias/master/gitalias.txt

Manually edit your git config dot file any way you want, such as:

vi ~/.gitconfig

Include the path to this file:

[include]
path = gitalias.txt

Examples

Shortcut examples

Letters:

a = add
b = branch
c = commit

Letters with options:

ap = add --patch
be = branch --edit-description
ci = commit --interactive

Popular examples

Summarizing:

dd = diff --check --dirstat --find-copies --find-renames --histogram --color
ll = log --graph --topo-order --abbrev-commit --date=short --decorate --all --boundary --pretty=format:'%Cgreen%ad %Cred%h%Creset -%C(yellow)%d%Creset %s %Cblue[%cn]%Creset %Cblue%G?%Creset'

Committing:

cam = commit --amend --message
rbi = rebase --interactive @{upstream}

Accelerator examples

Logging:

log-graph = log --graph --all  --decorate --oneline
log-my-week = !git log --author $(git config user.email) --since "1 week ago"

Searching:

grep-group =  grep --break --heading --line-number
grep-all = !"git rev-list --all | xargs git grep '$1'"

Recovery examples

Backtracking:

uncommit = reset --soft HEAD~1
cleanout = !git clean -df && git checkout -- .

Preserving:

snapshot = !git stash push "snapshot: $(date)" && git stash apply "stash@{0}"
archive = !"f() { top=$(rev-parse --show-toplevel); cd $top; tar cvf $top.tar $top ; }; f"

Coordination examples

Combining:

ours   = !"f() { git checkout --ours $@ && git add $@; }; f"
theirs = !"f() { git checkout --theirs $@ && git add $@; }; f"

Comparing:

incoming = !git remote update --prune; git log ..@{upstream}
outgoing = log @{upstream}..

Workflow examples

Synchronizing:

get = !git fetch --prune && git pull --rebase=preserve && git submodule update --init --recursive
put = !git commit --all && git push

Publishing:

publish = "!git push -u origin $(git branch-name)"
unpublish = "!git push origin :$(git branch-name)"

Branching:

topic-start = "!f(){ b=$1; git checkout master; git fetch; git rebase; git checkout -b "$b" master; };f"
topic-stop = "!f(){ b=$1; git checkout master; git branch -d "$b"; git push origin ":$b"; };f"

Optimization examples

Naming:

top-name = rev-parse --show-toplevel
branch-name = rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD
upstream-name = !git for-each-ref --format='%(upstream:short)' $(git symbolic-ref -q HEAD)

Pluralizing:

branches = branch -a
stashes = stash list
tags = tag -n1 --list

Streamlining:

pruner = !git prune --expire=now; git reflog expire --expire-unreachable=now --rewrite --all
repacker = !git repack -a -d -f --depth=300 --window=300 --window-memory=1g
expunge = !"f() { git filter-branch --force --index-filter \"git rm --cached --ignore-unmatch $1\" --prune-empty --tag-name-filter cat -- --all }; f"

Customization

If you want to use this file, and also want to change some of the items, then one way is to use your git config file to include this gitalias file, and also define your own alias items; a later alias takes precedence.

This section has examples that include this file, then add a customization.

Status

To do your own custom terse status messages:

[include]
   path = .gitalias.txt
[alias]
  s = status -sb

Log

To do your own custom log summaries:

[include]
   path = .gitalias.txt
[alias]
  l = log --graph --oneline

Format

To do your own custom pretty formatting:

[include]
   path = .gitalias.txt
[format]
  pretty = "%H %ci %ce %ae %d %s"

Contributor advice

Typically a short alias for a command and its options is in the same order as the command and option words:

• Right: fab = foo --alpha --bravo

• Wrong: baf = foo --alpha --bravo

• Wrong: abf = foo --alpha --bravo

Typically a short alias for a command and its options uses the first letter of each option word:

• Right: fab = foo --alpha-bravo

• Wrong: fa = foo --alpha-bravo

• Wrong: fb = foo --alpha-bravo

Epilog

See also

More ideas for git improvements:

• If you want to alias the git command, then use your shell, such as alias g=git.
• If you want history views, see git-recall
• If you use oh-my-zsh, then you may like the git plugin
• If you use vim then see Fugitive
• If you use emacs then see Magit
• If you use git shell scripting then see SCM Breeze
• If you use node then see git-alias

For more git config ideas, and for credit for many of the aliases here, please see these excelent resources:

• https://git.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Aliases
• http://web.archive.org/web/20100911013406/http://stackoverflow.com/questions/267761/what-does-your-gitconfig-contain
• http://web.archive.org/web/20111114085847/http://superuser.com/questions/169695/what-are-your-favorite-git-aliases
• http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1309430/how-to-embed-bash-script-directly-inside-a-git-alias
• http://blog.apiaxle.com/post/handy-git-tips-to-stop-you-getting-fired/
• https://ochronus.com/git-tips-from-the-trenches/
• http://mislav.uniqpath.com/2010/07/git-tips/
• https://github.com/WuTheFWasThat/dotfiles/blob/master/gitconfig
• https://gist.github.com/felipesabino/6391408
• Human Git Aliases

References:

• Git Basics - Git Aliases
• Git Basics - Tips and Tricks

To do

To do list in priority order:

• Create an alias that helps remove problem files, akin to bfg.

• Create installable packages such as for apt, brew, dnf.

• Create completion file for bash, zsh, etc.

• Create CI/CD pipeline.

• Create security checksum.

• Create announcement list.

• Request comments from git thought leaders.

• Create aliases for GitPrime metrics suggestions: unreviewed pull requests, new work percentage, legacy refactor percentage, active days, time to first comment, churn, time to resolve.

Thanks

Thanks to all the contributors, including all the creators of the projects mentioned above.

Thanks to these people for extra help, in order of participation:

• Joel Parker Henderson
• Bill Lazar
• Oleg Broytman
• Alberto Gregorio
• Romain Dartigues
• Joe Nelson
• Scott Lindsay
• baudtack
• Ruben Verborgh
• Rob Kennedy
• Corey Haines
• Mislav Marohnić
• Gary Bernhardt
• Joe Nelson
• Rob Miller
• Michal Jarosz
• Nick Palmer
• Michael Mior
• Nick Kirby
• Berkin Berkcan Çırak
• Erik Martin-Dorel
• Tsukasa Noguchi
• YantaoZhao
• Jeff Wu
• Gareth Owen