git config --global user.name "[name]"
# sets the name you want attached to your commit transactions

git config --global user.email "[email address]"
# sets the email you want attached to your commit transactions

git config --global color.ui auto
# enables helpful colourization of command line output

git init
# turn an existing directory into a git repository

git clone [url]
# clone (download) a repository that already exists on Git host sites,
# including all of the files, branches, and commits

git branch [branch-name]
# creates a new branch

git checkout [branch-name]
# switches to the specified branch and updates the working directory

git merge [branch]
# combines the specified branch's history into the current branch
# this is usually done in pull requests, but is an important Git operation

git branch -d [branch-name]
# deletes the specified branch

git fetch
# downloads all history from the remote tracking branches

git merge
# combines remote tracking branch into current local branch

git push
# uploads all local branch commits to Git host sites

git pull
# updates your current local working branch
# with all new commits from the corresponding remote branch
# 'git pull' is a combination of 'git fetch' & 'git merge'

git log
# lists version history of the current branch

git log --follow [file]
# lists version history for a file, including renames

git diff [first-branch]...[second-branch]
# shows content differences between two branches

git show [commit]
# outputs metadata and content changes of the specified commit

git add [file]
# snapshots the file in preparation for versioning

git commit -m "[descriptive message]"
# records file snapshots permanently in version history

git reset [commit]
# undoes all commits after [commit], preserving changes locally

git reset --hard [commit]
# discards all hostory and changes back to the specified commit