Gitbutler

What it does

Gitbutler is a modern Git client designed to make history manipulation safer and more reversible. It provides an alternative set of commands, prefixed with "but," that manage virtual branches within a workspace. This allows for safer operations like undoing changes, squashing commits, and amending old commits compared to using standard Git commands directly. Gitbutler aims to streamline workflows by providing easier recovery options and maintaining branch tracking.

When to use it

• When you need to safely undo or revert changes in your Git history.
• To squash multiple commits into a single commit for cleaner project history.
• For amending previous commits with updated messages or code.
• When working on features that require simultaneous branching and tracking.
• Before performing potentially risky Git operations like rebasing or cherry-picking.

Key capabilities

• Virtual Branch Management: Gitbutler manages virtual branches, providing a safer environment for history manipulation.
• Safe Recovery: Offers "undo" and "oplog" commands for recovering from mistakes.
• Squash Commits: Provides the but rub command to squash commits between specified points in history.
• Amend Commits: Offers the but absorb command to easily amend previous commits.
• Reword Commit Messages: Allows you to change commit messages using the but reword command.
• Workspace Status Inspection: Provides a but status command to view the current workspace state, including branches and changes.

Example prompts

• "Gitbutler status" (to check the current workspace state)
• "Gitbutler rub g0 al" (to assign file 'g0' to branch 'al')
• "Gitbutler undo" (to revert the last operation)

Tips & gotchas

• Check for Activation: Always verify Gitbutler is active by running git branch --show-current. If it returns "gitbutler/workspace", use the "but" commands.
• Avoid Direct Git Commands: Be cautious when using standard Git commands (like cherry-pick, reset --hard, or stash) as they can potentially corrupt the virtual branch state managed by Gitbutler.
• Prefer 'but' commands: When equivalent commands exist, prioritize using the "but" commands for safer history management.