Using Git

Clone one branch or tag, w/o history, with submodules w/o their history (shallow)

git clone -b v1.2.3 --recurse-submodules --shallow-submodules --depth 1 [repo] 

Update a tag / release (rewrite an existing tag)

Use these Variables

• tag: the GitHub tag name (e.g. v1.2.3)
• btag: temporary branch name created from the tag
• rtag: full tag ref path (refs/tags/<tag>), used for remote deletion

Example: tag=v1.2.3

btag="b$tag"
rtag="refs/tags/$tag"

1) Create and switch to a temporary branch from the existing tag

git fetch origin --tags
git switch -c "$btag" "$tag"

2) Make changes, commit, and push the temporary branch

git commit -am "Fixes for $tag"
git push -u origin "$btag"

3) Delete old local tag pointing to the old commit, recreate the tag locally at the new HEAD

(You’re already on $btag, so the extra git switch "$btag" is redundant.)

git tag -d "$tag"
git tag "$tag"

4) Replace the remote tag pointing to the new commit

First delete the old remote tag, then push the new one. Force-update the remote tag explicitly because tags are immutable by convention and many servers reject non-fast-forward tag updates unless forced.

git push origin ":$rtag"
git push --force origin "$rtag"

5) Update the GitHub Release (and assets) if necessary

• If you uploaded release assets (binaries / custom .tar.gz / etc.): update the existing release by removing the old assets and uploading the new ones (or delete and recreate the release). Moving the tag does not replace uploaded assets.
• If only GitHub-generated source archives are used (“Source code (tar.gz/zip)”): you can usually leave the release as-is; it will continue to be “for $tag”, and the generated archives will follow the updated tag (may take a short while due to caching).
• If release notes/changelog should change: either edit the existing release notes, or delete and recreate the release for $tag.

6) Cleanup: delete the temporary branch (remote + local)

git push origin --delete "$btag"
git switch main
git branch -D "$btag"

Branches

Create new branch and switch to it:

git checkout -b branchname

Switch to an existing branch:

git checkout branchname

Merge changes from branch1 into branch2 (one of them can be main). Use rebase for a clean history. Alternatively, you can use merge to keep the history of both branches.

git checkout branch2
git merge/rebase branch1 

Push a branch to remote:

git push -u origin branchname

Delete a remote branch:

git push origin --delete branchname

List all remote branches:

• git branch -r: lists all remote branches
• git branch -a: lists all branches (local and remote)
• git branch -vv: lists all branches with their last commit
• git branch --merged: lists branches that have been merged into the current branch
• git branch --no-merged: lists branches that have not been merged into the current branch

Conflicts

1. Resolve Conflicts

• Check what’s conflicted:

git status

• Text conflicts (UU, etc.): open file and fix <<<<<<< ======= >>>>>>>, then:

git add path

• Keep one side (choose ours or theirs):

git checkout --ours  path   # keep our version (rebase source)
git checkout --theirs path  # keep their version (rebase target)
git add path

• You want the file removed (e.g. DU / delete-vs-modify conflict):

git rm -- path
# if the file is already gone locally:
git rm --cached -- path
git add -u

2. Finalize a rebase or a merge

git rebase --continue   # repeat until it finishes
git push origin branch2

or

git commit -m "merge branch1 into branch2"
git push origin branch2

Unmerged status codes

• DD both deleted
• AU added by us
• UD deleted by them
• UA added by them
• DU deleted by us (often: decide keep vs delete; use git rm to delete)
• AA both added
• UU both modified

History

Show commit + diff for a specific file

git log -p -- path/to/file

Compact one-line history

git log --follow --date=short --pretty=format:"%h %ad %an %s" -- path/to/file

To remove all history from a repo:

	git checkout --orphan new-main
	git add -A
	git commit -m 'new files'
	git branch -D main
	git branch -m main
	git push -f origin main
	git branch --set-upstream-to=origin/main main

Tokens

Personal Settings > Developer Settings 

Can regenerate with custom expiration date.

Configuration:

repo –> public_repo

For private images, the token must have at least read:packages.

The token should go in a file read by the software using it, typically in the home dir, for example .bob