The git help command shows built-in guides for every Git command so you can check options with its usage and examples inside your terminal.
Table of Content
Understand the git help Command
The “git help” shows help text for Git commands. It gives you access to short guides inside your terminal. You use it to check syntax and rules for any Git command.
You run the command in this way:
git help <command>You write the command you want after git help. This opens the manual page or help page for that command.
You use git help to read what a command does. You also see options and arguments that you can pass to it. It helps you learn new Git commands without a browser.
Here is a quick example.
git help commitThis opens the manual page for the git commit command. It shows every option you can pass to git commit. It also gives a short description for each one.
The Difference Between git help Command and man git
The git help opens Git’s own help system. It shows pages with usage examples and options. It also works across different Git commands.
The man git command opens the system manual pages. It shows the pages that your operating system ships with. It does not always match the Git version you have.
Here is a table that shows the main differences:
| Aspect | git help | man git |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Built into Git | Built into the OS |
| Content | Usage and options for Git commands | System manual pages about Git |
| Version match | Always matches your Git version | May not match your Git version |
| Output | Git formatted help text | OS manual format |
You can use git help when you need quick command help that matches your Git version. You use man git when you want the system manual or need to read older-style man pages.
Examples of git help with Different Commands
Show help for git status:
git help statusThis command opens the help page for git status. You can read what git status does and what flags you can pass.
Show help for git log:
git help logThis command opens the help page for git log. You can see how to view commit history and filter commits.
Show help for git branch:
git help branchThis opens the help page for git branch. It shows how to create, delete, and list branches. It also shows flags for advanced branch control.
Show help for git rebase:
git help rebaseThis command opens the help page for git rebase. You can learn how to reapply commits on top of another branch.
Wrapping Up
You learned what the git help does and how to use it. You also saw the difference between git help and man git.
Here is a quick recap:
- The git help opens help pages for Git commands inside your terminal.
- The man git command opens the system manual pages for Git.
- You can use git help for your daily work and man git for system-level info.
FAQs
What is the git help command used for?
git help command is used to access Git’s built-in documentation.
It allows developers to check usage, options, and guides.
Examples:
git help commit→ Opens help for commit commandgit help push→ Opens help for push command
How do I use git help to learn about a specific command?
git help <command>
Example:
git help clone
This opens detailed documentation about the git clone command.What are alternatives to git help for documentation?
git help, you can use:
git <command> --help→ e.g.git status --helpman git-<command>→ e.g.man git-log
Can I view git help in different formats?
git help -a→ Lists all available git commandsgit help -g→ Lists concept guidesgit help -w commit→ Opens help in web browser
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