Git - Aliases & Shortcuts

Intermediate

Git aliases transform repetitive Git commands into powerful shortcuts, dramatically improving your productivity and workflow efficiency. Master aliases to work like a Git professional.

What are Git Aliases?

Aliases are custom shortcuts for Git commands, stored in your Git configuration:

# Basic alias syntax
git config --global alias.<alias-name> '<git-command>'

# Example
git config --global alias.st 'status'
git st  # Now runs 'git status'

Benefits of using aliases:

Speed: Reduce typing and command length
Consistency: Standardize complex command patterns
Memory: Easier to remember short, logical names
Customization: Tailor Git to your workflow

Basic Aliases

Essential Short Aliases

# Basic status and log
git config --global alias.st 'status'
git config --global alias.co 'checkout'
git config --global alias.br 'branch'
git config --global alias.ci 'commit'

# Quick add and commit
git config --global alias.ac 'commit -am'
git config --global alias.ca 'commit --amend'

# Log variations
git config --global alias.lg 'log --oneline'
git config --global alias.last 'log -1 HEAD'

# Usage examples
git st           # git status
git co main      # git checkout main
git br -a        # git branch -a
git ac "message" # git commit -am "message"

Enhanced Status and Information

# Detailed status
git config --global alias.s 'status -sb'

# Show all aliases
git config --global alias.aliases '!git config --list | grep alias | cut -c7-'

# Show current branch
git config --global alias.current 'symbolic-ref --short HEAD'

# Show remote tracking info
git config --global alias.track 'branch -vv'

Advanced Log Aliases

Beautiful Log Formats

# One-line log with graph
git config --global alias.lg1 'log --oneline --graph --decorate'

# Detailed log with stats  
git config --global alias.lg2 'log --graph --pretty=format:"%Cred%h%Creset -%C(yellow)%d%Creset %s %Cgreen(%cr) %C(bold blue)<%an>%Creset" --abbrev-commit'

# Log with file changes
git config --global alias.lg3 'log --graph --stat --pretty=format:"%Cred%h%Creset -%C(yellow)%d%Creset %s %Cgreen(%cr) %C(bold blue)<%an>%Creset"'

# Example output of lg2
* 2f8a1c4 - (HEAD -> main, origin/main) Add user authentication (2 hours ago) 
* 5b3e8f1 - (tag: v1.0) Fix login validation bug (1 day ago) 
* 9c7d2a8 - Initial commit (3 days ago)

Specialized Log Views

# Show commits today
git config --global alias.today 'log --since="1 day ago" --oneline --author="$(git config user.name)"'

# Show commits this week
git config --global alias.week 'log --since="1 week ago" --oneline --author="$(git config user.name)"'

# Show file history
git config --global alias.filelog 'log -u'

# Show what changed in last commit
git config --global alias.dl '!git ll -1'

# Log with search
git config --global alias.find 'log --pretty="format:%Cgreen%H %Cblue%s" --name-status --grep'

Branch and Merge Aliases

Branch Management

# Quick branch creation and checkout
git config --global alias.cob 'checkout -b'

# Delete merged branches
git config --global alias.cleanup '!git branch --merged | grep -v "\*\|main\|master\|develop" | xargs -n 1 git branch -d'

# Push current branch to origin
git config --global alias.publish '!git push -u origin $(git branch --show-current)'

# Show branches sorted by last commit
git config --global alias.recent 'branch --sort=-committerdate'

Merge and Rebase Shortcuts

# Fast-forward merge only
git config --global alias.ff 'merge --ff-only'

# No fast-forward merge
git config --global alias.noff 'merge --no-ff'

# Interactive rebase
git config --global alias.ri 'rebase -i'

# Rebase on main
git config --global alias.rom 'rebase origin/main'

# Merge main into current branch
git config --global alias.mm '!git checkout main && git pull && git checkout - && git merge main'

Diff and Comparison Aliases

# Staged changes
git config --global alias.ds 'diff --staged'

# Word diff
git config --global alias.dw 'diff --word-diff'

# Diff with external tool
git config --global alias.dt 'difftool'

# Show changes in last commit
git config --global alias.last-changes 'diff HEAD~1 HEAD'

# Compare with main branch
git config --global alias.compare 'diff main...'

Stash Aliases

# Quick stash with message
git config --global alias.save 'stash save'

# Stash including untracked files
git config --global alias.staash 'stash --include-untracked'

# Pop and apply stash
git config --global alias.sp 'stash pop'
git config --global alias.sa 'stash apply'

# List stashes with details
git config --global alias.sl 'stash list --stat'

Complex Multi-Command Aliases

Complete Workflow Aliases

# Add all, commit, and push
git config --global alias.acp '!f() { git add -A && git commit -m "$1" && git push; }; f'

# Create feature branch and push
git config --global alias.feature '!f() { git checkout -b feature/$1 && git push -u origin feature/$1; }; f'

# Complete pull request cleanup
git config --global alias.done '!f() { git checkout main && git pull && git branch -d $1 && git push origin --delete $1; }; f'

# Undo last commit but keep changes
git config --global alias.undo 'reset --soft HEAD~1'

# Usage examples
git acp "Fix user login bug"           # Add, commit, push
git feature user-authentication        # Create and push feature branch
git done feature/user-authentication   # Clean up after merge

Advanced Workflow Aliases

# Sync with upstream (for forks)
git config --global alias.sync '!git fetch upstream && git checkout main && git merge upstream/main && git push origin main'

# Create hotfix branch from main
git config --global alias.hotfix '!f() { git checkout main && git pull && git checkout -b hotfix/$1; }; f'

# Squash last N commits
git config --global alias.squash '!f() { git reset --soft HEAD~$1 && git commit --edit -m"$(git log --format=%B --reverse HEAD..HEAD@{1})"; }; f'

# Archive old branch
git config --global alias.archive '!f() { git tag archive/$1 $1 && git branch -D $1; }; f'

Information and Statistics Aliases

# Repository statistics
git config --global alias.stats 'shortlog -sn --all --no-merges'

# Show contributors
git config --global alias.contributors 'shortlog -nse'

# Show file rankings by changes
git config --global alias.churn '!git log --all -M -C --name-only --format="format:" "$@" | sort | grep -v "^$" | uniq -c | sort -nr'

# Show repository size
git config --global alias.size '!git bundle create /tmp/tmp.bundle --all >/dev/null 2>&1 && ls -lh /tmp/tmp.bundle | awk "{print \$5}" && rm /tmp/tmp.bundle'

# Show ignored files
git config --global alias.ignored 'ls-files --others --ignored --exclude-standard'

Utility and Maintenance Aliases

# Clean everything
git config --global alias.cleanall '!git clean -fxd && git reset --hard'

# Optimize repository
git config --global alias.optimize '!git repack -Ad --depth=250 --window=250'

# Find large files
git config --global alias.large-files '!git rev-list --objects --all | git cat-file --batch-check="%(objecttype) %(objectname) %(objectsize) %(rest)" | sed -n "s/^blob //p" | sort --numeric-sort --key=2 | tail -20'

# Backup current branch
git config --global alias.backup '!git tag backup/$(git branch --show-current)/$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S) HEAD'

Team Collaboration Aliases

# Show who changed what in a file
git config --global alias.who 'blame -w -C -C -C'

# Show commits by author
git config --global alias.author '!f() { git log --author="$1" --pretty=format:"%h %s" --since="1 month ago"; }; f'

# Find merge commits
git config --global alias.merges 'log --merges --oneline'

# Show branch relationships
git config --global alias.tree 'log --graph --oneline --all'

# Review changes before push
git config --global alias.review 'log origin/main..HEAD --oneline'

Debugging and Recovery Aliases

# Find commits that touched a specific string
git config --global alias.search '!f() { git log -S "$1" --source --all; }; f'

# Show what would be pushed
git config --global alias.outgoing 'log @{upstream}..HEAD --oneline'

# Show what would be pulled
git config --global alias.incoming 'log HEAD..@{upstream} --oneline'

# Emergency - list all commits in reflog
git config --global alias.reflog-all 'reflog --all --date=iso'

# Find lost commits
git config --global alias.lost 'fsck --lost-found'

Platform-Specific Aliases

macOS/Linux Aliases

# Open repository in file manager
git config --global alias.open '!open $(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)'

# Copy current branch name to clipboard
git config --global alias.copy-branch '!git branch --show-current | pbcopy'

# Show diff in external app
git config --global alias.diff-app '!git difftool -d'

Windows Aliases

# Open repository in Windows Explorer
git config --global alias.open '!explorer $(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)'

# Copy current branch name to clipboard
git config --global alias.copy-branch '!git branch --show-current | clip'

Managing Aliases

Viewing and Editing Aliases

# List all aliases
git config --global --get-regexp alias

# Edit git config file directly
git config --global --edit

# Remove an alias
git config --global --unset alias.old-alias

# Check if alias exists
git config --global --get alias.st

Organizing Aliases

# Group aliases by function in .gitconfig
[alias]
    # Status and information
    st = status -sb
    current = symbolic-ref --short HEAD
    
    # Branching
    co = checkout
    br = branch
    cob = checkout -b
    
    # Committing
    ci = commit
    ac = commit -am
    ca = commit --amend
    
    # Logging
    lg = log --oneline --graph
    last = log -1 HEAD

Sharing Aliases with Team

Team Alias Setup Script

#!/bin/bash
# setup-team-aliases.sh

echo "Setting up team Git aliases..."

# Basic shortcuts
git config --global alias.st 'status -sb'
git config --global alias.co 'checkout'
git config --global alias.br 'branch'
git config --global alias.ci 'commit'

# Team workflow
git config --global alias.feature '!f() { git checkout -b feature/$1 && git push -u origin feature/$1; }; f'
git config --global alias.sync 'pull --rebase origin main'
git config --global alias.review 'log origin/main..HEAD --oneline'

# Cleanup
git config --global alias.cleanup '!git branch --merged | grep -v "\*\|main\|develop" | xargs -n 1 git branch -d'

echo "Team aliases configured successfully!"
git aliases

Include Aliases in Repository

# Create .gitalias file in repository
[alias]
    # Project-specific aliases
    setup = !npm install && npm run build
    test-all = !npm test && npm run lint && npm run e2e
    deploy-staging = !git push staging main

# Include in main .gitconfig
[include]
    path = ~/projects/myproject/.gitalias

Advanced Alias Techniques

Conditional Aliases

# Different behavior based on branch
git config --global alias.smart-push '!f() { 
    if [ "$(git branch --show-current)" = "main" ]; then 
        echo "Direct push to main not allowed!"; 
        exit 1; 
    else 
        git push origin HEAD; 
    fi 
}; f'

Interactive Aliases

# Interactive branch selector
git config --global alias.switch-interactive '!git branch | fzf | xargs git checkout'

# Interactive file selector for add
git config --global alias.add-interactive '!git ls-files -m -o --exclude-standard | fzf -m | xargs git add'

Aliases with Parameters

# Flexible commit with optional scope
git config --global alias.commit-scope '!f() { 
    if [ $# -eq 2 ]; then 
        git commit -m "$1: $2"; 
    else 
        git commit -m "$1"; 
    fi 
}; f'

# Usage: git commit-scope feat "add user auth"
# Result: "feat: add user auth"

Best Practices

Alias Best Practices:

Keep aliases short but memorable
Use consistent naming patterns
Document complex aliases
Test aliases thoroughly before sharing
Organize aliases by function in config file
Backup your alias configuration

Professional Alias Set

# Professional developer aliases
git config --global alias.st 'status -sb'
git config --global alias.lg 'log --oneline --graph --decorate'
git config --global alias.last 'log -1 HEAD --stat'
git config --global alias.unstage 'reset HEAD --'
git config --global alias.visual '!gitk'
git config --global alias.timeline 'log --graph --branches --pretty=oneline --decorate'
git config --global alias.mt 'mergetool'
git config --global alias.dt 'difftool'

Troubleshooting Aliases

Common Issues:

Shell escaping in complex aliases
Aliases not working in scripts
Platform-specific command differences
Alias conflicts with existing commands

# Debug alias execution
git config --global alias.debug-alias '!f() { set -x; git "$@"; set +x; }; f'

# Test alias without executing
git config --global alias.dry-run '!f() { echo "Would execute: git $@"; }; f'

Key Takeaways

Productivity: Aliases dramatically speed up common operations
Consistency: Standardize complex commands across team
Customization: Tailor Git to your specific workflow
Learning Tool: Complex aliases teach advanced Git concepts
Professional Efficiency: Essential for serious Git users

Master Git aliases to transform your development workflow. Start with basic shortcuts and gradually build a personalized toolkit that matches your team's practices and your individual style.