How to use the command 'legit' (with examples)

The ’legit’ command is a complementary command-line interface for Git. It provides additional functionality and simplifies certain tasks when working with Git repositories. This article will illustrate each of the following use cases for the ’legit’ command:

1. Switching to a specified branch, stashing and restoring unstaged changes
2. Synchronizing the current branch, automatically merging or rebasing, and stashing and unstashing
3. Publishing a specified branch to the remote server
4. Removing a branch from the remote server
5. Listing all branches and their publication status
6. Removing the last commit from the history

Use case 1: Switching to a specified branch, stashing and restoring unstaged changes

Code:

git switch target_branch

Motivation: When working on a particular branch and wanting to switch to another branch, it is often necessary to stash any unstaged changes in order to avoid losing them. The ‘git switch’ command in the ’legit’ tool allows you to switch to the specified target branch while automatically stashing and restoring any unstaged changes.

Explanation for the arguments:

• target_branch: The name of the branch you want to switch to.

Example output:

Stashing unstaged changes...
Switched to branch 'target_branch'
Restored unstaged changes

Use case 2: Synchronizing the current branch, automatically merging or rebasing, and stashing and unstashing

Code:

git sync

Motivation: When working on a branch and wanting to fetch the latest changes from the remote repository, the ‘git sync’ command in the ’legit’ tool can be used to automate the synchronization process. It will automatically merge or rebase the changes, as well as stash and unstash any local unstaged changes.

Explanation for the arguments: None.

Example output:

Stashing unstaged changes...
Fetching remote changes...
Merging/rebasing changes...
Restored unstaged changes
Synchronization complete

Use case 3: Publishing a specified branch to the remote server

Code:

git publish branch_name

Motivation: When working on a branch locally and wanting to make it available to others on the remote server, the ‘git publish’ command in the ’legit’ tool enables you to publish a specified branch to the remote repository.

Explanation for the arguments:

• branch_name: The name of the branch you want to publish.

Example output:

Publishing branch 'branch_name' to remote server...
Branch successfully published

Use case 4: Removing a branch from the remote server

Code:

git unpublish branch_name

Motivation: When a branch is no longer needed or has been merged into the main branch, it is often necessary to remove it from the remote repository to keep the repository clean. The ‘git unpublish’ command in the ’legit’ tool allows you to remove a specified branch from the remote server.

Explanation for the arguments:

• branch_name: The name of the branch you want to remove from the remote server.

Example output:

Removing branch 'branch_name' from remote server...
Branch successfully removed

Use case 5: Listing all branches and their publication status

Code:

git branches glob_pattern

Motivation: When working with multiple branches in a repository, it can be helpful to have an overview of all the branches and their publication status. The ‘git branches’ command in the ’legit’ tool provides a concise list of all branches along with their publication status.

Explanation for the arguments:

• glob_pattern: An optional glob pattern to filter the branches.

Example output:

Branches:
- feature_branch [Local]
- main_branch    [Remote]
- develop_branch [Local]

Use case 6: Removing the last commit from the history

Code:

git undo --hard

Motivation: Sometimes, it is necessary to undo the last commit and remove it from the commit history. The ‘git undo –hard’ command in the ’legit’ tool allows you to do exactly that.

Explanation for the arguments: None.

Example output:

Undoing last commit...
Commit successfully undone

Conclusion

The ’legit’ command-line interface for Git provides a set of additional commands and functionalities that can simplify and automate common Git tasks. By understanding and utilizing these use cases, you can enhance your workflow and efficiency when working with Git repositories.