7 Git Aliases That Save 1 Hour Every Day

Why Git Aliases Matter

Every developer types hundreds of git commands each day. If each command saves 3-5 seconds, multiplied by frequency, you're looking at hours per week. Git aliases aren't just faster — they help you think in workflows instead of commands.

Many workflow approaches have been tried, but simple aliases keep winning. Here are 7 essential aliases.

1. git st — Replace git status

git config --global alias.st "status -sb"

The default git status is verbose. The -sb flags show branch name + file changes in a compact format.

Before and after:

# Before: (many lines, takes up the whole screen)
# After:
 M src/app.ts
 M src/utils.ts
?? new-file.txt

This is the most-used alias — every time git st replaces git status -sb, about 20 seconds per day are saved.

2. git cm — Quick Commit

git config --global alias.cm "commit -m"

Simple but effective. Instead of:

git add . && git commit -m "fix: resolve auth bug"

You type:

git add . && git cm "fix: resolve auth bug"

3. git lg — Better Log

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

This is the most complex alias but worth setting up. You get graph visualization of branch history, along with author names and commit times.

git lg
# * a1b2c3d - (HEAD -> main) fix: resolve auth bug (2 hours ago) <Nam>
# * e4f5g6h - feat: add user profile page (5 hours ago) <Nam>
# * i7j8k9l - (origin/main) chore: update dependencies (1 day ago) <Dependabot>

4. git undo — Undo Last Commit

git config --global alias.undo "reset --soft HEAD~1"

This is the "lifesaver" alias when you commit by mistake or need to amend content. The --soft flag keeps staged changes, only dropping the commit.

Note: Use --hard if you want to discard changes too (⚠️ use carefully).

5. git stash-all — Stash Everything

git config --global alias.stash-all "stash --include-untracked"

The default git stash only stashes tracked files. If you have new untracked files, they'll be skipped. This alias fixes that.

git stash-all -m "wip: working on feature X"
# Now your working directory is clean

6. git aliases — List All Aliases

git config --global alias.aliases "config --get-regexp alias"

When you have many aliases and forget what you've configured, this lists everything. Very useful after switching machines or resetting config.

git aliases
# alias.st status -sb
# alias.cm commit -m
# alias.lg log --graph --pretty=format:...

7. git recent — Quick Recent Log

git config --global alias.recent "log --oneline --graph --decorate -15"

Instead of git log showing dozens of lines, this shows only the 15 most recent commits in compact form. Enough context without information overload.

Bonus: Shell Functions for Git Workflow

Beyond aliases, add these shell functions to ~/.zshrc:

# Quick branch + commit workflow
gac() {
  git add -A && git cm "$*"
}
# Usage: gac fix: resolve auth bug

# Checkout new branch from main
gco-new() {
  git checkout main && git pull && git checkout -b "$1"
}
# Usage: gco-new feature/user-profile

Quick Setup

Create ~/.gitconfig with:

[alias]
  st = status -sb
  cm = commit -m
  lg = log --graph --pretty=format:'%Cred%h%Creset -%C(yellow)%d%Creset %s %Cgreen(%cr) %C(bold blue)<%an>%Creset' --abbrev-commit
  undo = reset --soft HEAD~1
  stash-all = stash --include-untracked
  aliases = config --get-regexp alias
  recent = log --oneline --graph --decorate -15

Or use git config --global commands to add aliases one by one.

Conclusion

These 7 aliases are just the starting point. The key is: customize for your workflow. If you frequently need git diff --staged, add an alias for it. If you often merge branches, create a git m alias.

The goal isn't to type less — it's to reduce cognitive load, so your brain focuses on code instead of remembering git commands.

What aliases do you use? Share in the comments!