The git remaster command

OK, OK. This command doesn't exist. It's one of the aliases that I'm using.

TL;DR

Execute this command once only.

git config --global alias.remaster '!git fetch && git clean -d -f && git reset --hard origin/master'

When you totally fucked up your local repository and you want an atomic cleaning, use this one.

git remaster

Your current branch will be in the same state as the remote master (the one which is on Gitlab, Github...)

The long version

I'm writing this article because I saw this tweet from Emma Bostian. I was doing the same until I've found a solution. Btw, you should follow her.

https://twitter.com/EmmaBostian/status/1232412585397571584

In this part I will explain in detail the meaning of this command.

git config --global alias.remaster '!git fetch && git clean -d -f && git reset --hard origin/master'

I will explain first how to configure alias (this part

The alias

Alias is just "a shorter name for something that is normally long to write". For example in maths you're using the

The first part of the command is

The commands

Let's now focus on the commands between quotes

I will use the following schema to explain what's happening.

• remote repository : the git repo which is on Gitlab, Github...
• local repository : the git repo which is on your machine, containing your branches, your commits... Everything that has a meaning for git
• working directory : where you work, basically, it's the files and directory that you're seeing
• staging area : where your modifications go when you do a
  git add

Before presenting the underlying effects, do you know what is

That's why my sensei is saying that you can delete your

post slashgear_/git-tip-why-you-should-not-keep-a-local-master-branch-3400

• git fetch
  we update
  origin/master
  , the copy of the remote master branch
• git clean -f -d
  : it removes untracked files. In other terms it removes files that have never been added to the staging area
• git reset --hard origin/master
  we want, our files (the working copy) to be in the same state as the
  origin/master
  branch

There's one thing that could remain strange : the

One small thing

If your main branch isn't

You can use.

git config --global alias.nuke '!git fetch && git clean -d -f && git reset --hard origin/develop'

The two parts that can change are the

git config --global alias.ALIAS_NAME '!git fetch && git clean -d -f && git reset --hard origin/MAIN_BRANCH'

It's maybe trivial but I prefere to point it out. 😉

Conclusion

The

You can run this command everytime you screw a branch and you want to get back to a clean state.

Don't forget, time is too precious to reclone a repo. Hope it will be useful.

Thanks to Marvin and Émilie who've helped me with the english translation.

Thanks for reading.

Links

• Banner image

• Create alias with mutliple git commands

• Remove untracked files with git reset → git clean