Git Cheat Sheet — For Non-Technical Folks

Command

git fetch

What it does: Checks if anything new happened on the shared project — but doesn't change your files.

Analogy: Walking to the library front desk and asking "got anything new?" without checking anything out.

git fetch         # peek at what's new
git status        # see if you're behind

Command

git pull

What it does: Grabs the latest changes and updates your files. It's fetch + merge in one step.

Analogy: Checking the catalog and bringing the updated book back to your desk.

git pull          # grab latest & update files

Run this at the start of every work session.

Concept

Fetch vs. Pull — Side by Side

	git fetch	git pull
Downloads new info?	Yes	Yes
Updates your files?	No	Yes
Can cause conflicts?	Never	Sometimes
When to use	Want to peek first	Ready to get latest

Concept

Merging

What it does: Combines two different versions of the project into one. Usually happens automatically when you git pull.

Analogy: Two people wrote different chapters — the editor staples them together into one book.

Clean merge: Different parts were edited — Git handles it automatically
Conflict: Same lines were edited — Git asks you to pick

Don't Panic

Merge Conflicts

When two people edit the same lines, Git asks you to choose. It looks like this:

<<<<<<< HEAD
The meeting is on Tuesday.
=======
The meeting is on Wednesday.
>>>>>>> main

Fix it: Keep the right version, delete the markers, save, then:

git add the-file.txt
git commit -m "Resolved conflict"

Practice

Your Daily Workflow

Follow this order every time and you'll stay out of trouble:

git pullGet latest

→

git checkout -b my-branchBranch out

→

Do your workEdit files

→

git add .Stage changes

→

git commit -m "..."Save snapshot

→

git pushShare it

Practice

Good Commit Messages

Describe what you did in one clear sentence. Your future self will thank you.

Bad

"fixed stuff" "update" "asdf"

Good

"Updated pricing on homepage" "Fixed broken footer link" "Added team photos to About"

Survival Kit

Commands You'll Use Constantly

git status        # Where am I? What changed?
git log --oneline  # Show recent history
git branch        # What branch am I on?
git diff          # Show what I changed

When in doubt, run git status. It always tells you what to do next.

Practice

The Golden Rules

#	Rule	Why
1	Pull before you push	Get the latest before sharing yours — like reading the group chat before replying
2	Commit often	Small saves are easier to undo than big ones — save your game frequently
3	Write clear messages	Future-you won't remember what "fixed stuff" means
4	Check your branch	Make sure you're editing the right document before you start typing
5	Don't panic on conflicts	It's just Git asking a question, not an error — pick the right version and move on