Even though developers write code for a living, many of them use GUI tools when working with Git — SourceTree and GitHub Desktop being the most popular. Fair enough, Git commands aren't your application's business logic — but they're worth learning.

Visual interfaces might feel more approachable for newcomers, but every action you take in those screens is just a Git command running in the background. The real power and flexibility of Git lives in the command line. And understanding what's actually happening under the hood starts with knowing the commands. You don't need to memorize all of them — our Git Cheatsheet has the most common ones compiled in one place.

GUIs let you use Git. The terminal helps you understand it. — gitlearn.io

GUIs may offer a polished experience, but the real "engineering feel" comes from the terminal. One of your best friends there will be git status — it summarizes everything happening in your repo at a glance. You'll probably love git log too. And then there's the daily routine: add, commit, pull, push. Short, memorable, and almost certainly the commands you'll use most. If you're worried about breaking something while you practice, the Git Simulator is there for unlimited trial and error.

What is a CLI (Command Line Interface)? It's the interface where you communicate with your computer by typing text commands — no mouse, no buttons, just keyboard and text. On Windows that's cmd or PowerShell; on macOS it's Terminal or iTerm2; on Linux it's GNOME Terminal, Konsole, or whatever ships with your distro.
What is a GUI (Graphical User Interface)? The opposite — everything you see is a clickable button or menu. Git is, at its core, a CLI tool. Commands like git commit and git push run directly in this environment. Apps like GitHub Desktop are just writing and executing those same commands behind the scenes on your behalf.

The Advantages of Using the CLI

Full Control & Direct Power

Interfaces typically surface only the most common actions. But when things get complex, the command line is always right there — with everything available. The full reference is here: Git Docs.

Actually Understanding What's Happening

Clicking the commit button in a GUI masks the mechanics underneath. Writing commands yourself etches the relationships between the working tree, staging area, and repository into your mental model in a way no interface can.

GUIs let you use Git. The terminal helps you understand it.

Universality & Independence

Git commands are the same everywhere in the world. They don't change based on your operating system, machine, or IDE. Git lives in the terminal. Commands are the only language Git speaks — cut out the middleman.

When you click that button, the GUI quietly whispers git commit -m "..." behind the scenes.

Automation (CI/CD) Compatibility

Many servers don't have GUIs. GitHub Actions, GitLab CI — none of them do. In those environments, knowing the commands isn't a preference — it's a requirement.

Speed & Muscle Memory

Once you're comfortable with Git commands, typing git commit -am "quick fix" is faster than navigating through menus. The habit-building part is real — switching from a GUI to the terminal can feel daunting at first, but after a while it becomes muscle memory. Worth trying, in my opinion.

Three clicks through menus — or just type git push?

Git also supports aliases — shortcuts you define yourself. When you find yourself setting up git st instead of typing git status, you'll know you've leveled up.

Try Git Commands in the Simulator

If you've made it this far and feel the urge to actually type something into a terminal — without the risk of breaking anything real — we invite you to try the Git Simulator.