Daily Git,
without losing the plot.

1 · Orientation: keep the model, replace the choreography

Lazygit is not another version-control system. It is a terminal UI that continuously renders Git state and attaches context-sensitive actions to whatever you select.

Translation layer

2 · Install, verify, launch

brew install lazygit
lazygit --version

# Arch
sudo pacman -S lazygit

# Fedora family via COPR
sudo dnf copr enable dejan/lazygit
sudo dnf install lazygit

# Debian 13+ / Ubuntu 25.10+
sudo apt install lazygit

Distribution packages can lag. For current binary instructions, use the official README linked in Sources. Verify exact behavior with your installed version and ?.

Launch from any repository

cd path/to/repository
lazygit

# Optional shell alias
alias lg='lazygit'

Three checks before trusting daily use

1. Open a clean disposable repository and press ? in Files, Branches, and Commits.
2. Press @, expose command log, then stage and unstage a harmless file.
3. Confirm external editor opens with e and commit-editor submission works: ⌘ Enter on macOS, Ctrl Enter on Linux; Ctrl S is alternate.

3 · Mental model: selection + context + preview

Most mistakes come from remembering a key but forgetting its panel. Same key can mean different operations. Read focused panel border, selected row, main preview, and footer together.

4 · Navigation: 12 keys before everything else

In-page simulator: daily commit loop

Bounded model, not full lazygit. Practice panel focus, file staging, committing, and pushing. Click screen, then use keyboard; buttons provide touch/mouse alternative.

- const mode = 'old';
+ const mode = 'daily-driver';

5 · Daily workflow: inspect → stage → commit → sync

Default loop fits in Files panel plus global push/pull. Resist speed until state transitions feel obvious.

Routine, with verification

1. Focus Files. Review every changed path and main diff.
2. Stage whole files with Space; enter a file with Enter for hunk/line control.
3. Use Tab in staging view to compare staged and unstaged halves.
4. Press c. Write subject; use description only when useful. Submit.
5. Focus Commits. Verify new commit contents with Enter.
6. Pull using p, handle any integration, then push using P.
7. Verify upstream indicator and Files cleanliness. If unclear, inspect @.

Range-select repeated objects

Press v, expand with arrows, then invoke supported action. Or hold Shift with up/down for non-sticky range selection. Useful for multiple files, commits, and cherry-picks.

6 · Precise staging: index as a designed commit

Whole-file staging is one Space. For mixed concerns, select file and press Enter.

Commit-design recipe

1. Enter first mixed file; stage only lines belonging to one intent.
2. Repeat across files. Use Files status marks and staged preview to audit index.
3. Commit. Remaining edits stay unstaged for next commit.
4. Use @ once to connect UI action with underlying git apply/git add behavior.

7 · Commits: amend, fixup, and review-friendly cleanup

Find target commit automatically

Ctrl F analyzes blame/base information. Stage one concern first; mixed modifications can map to multiple base commits.

Commit-editor submit

Simple subject prompt submits with Enter. Multiline commit editor uses ⌘ Enter on macOS or Ctrl Enter on Linux; Ctrl S alternate. Terminal/multiplexer must forward modified Enter.

8 · Branches, remotes, and pull requests

Remote tabs and PRs

Use [/] to reach Remote branches/Remotes tabs. Remote checkout with Space can create tracking local branch or detached HEAD. Remotes panel supports add n, edit e, remove d, fetch f, add fork F.

For GitHub, install/authenticate gh. Branches can show PR state. Use o to create PR, O for creation options, G to open existing PR, Ctrl Y to copy URL.

9 · Stash: temporary shelf, not mystery storage

10 · Conflicts: resolve, verify, continue

Conflicted files appear in Files. Select one and enter main conflict resolver. Lazygit groups competing hunks and can auto-stage resolved files by default.

11 · Rewrite history: interactive rebase without todo-file editing

In Commits, press i to start interactive rebase for current branch commits down to main/first merge boundary. Press e to start from selected commit. One-off rewrite actions can also start background rebase.

Rebase current branch onto another branch

1. Checkout branch whose commits should move.
2. Select destination/base branch in Local branches.
3. Press r; choose normal or interactive option from menu.
4. Resolve conflicts, then m → continue. Abort if assumptions fail.
5. Review graph and tests before force-pushing rewritten published branch.

Rebase only commits above marked base

Uses git rebase --onto. Essential when feature branch was stacked on another feature branch and only its own commits should move.

12 · Cherry-pick, revert, reset, undo

Choose by intent

Undo boundary

z/Z uses reflog. It can reason about commits, resets, rebases, and checkouts—including actions run outside lazygit. It cannot restore working-tree discards, stash operations, remote pushes, or branch creation. Undo is unsupported mid-rebase; use m and abort.

13 · Bisect: binary search through history

Use when test outcome is binary and a known-good commit precedes known-bad state. In Commits, press b for bisect options.

1. Start from known bad state, select known-good commit, open b menu, mark good/bad as prompted.
2. Git checks out midpoint. Run deterministic test outside lazygit or through :.
3. Return to Commits, b, mark current commit good or bad.
4. Repeat until culprit identified. Use b menu to reset bisect.

14 · Worktrees: parallel branches without stash churn

Worktree gives another working directory and index sharing repository objects and refs. Use for long-running feature, review checkout, urgent hotfix, or side-by-side test.

Changing shell directory on exit

Lazygit can switch internally, but parent shell cannot normally be changed by child process. Official wrapper uses LAZYGIT_NEW_DIR_FILE; exiting with q changes directory through wrapper, while Q exits without changing.

lg() {
  export LAZYGIT_NEW_DIR_FILE="$HOME/.lazygit/newdir"
  lazygit "$@"
  if [ -f "$LAZYGIT_NEW_DIR_FILE" ]; then
    cd "$(cat "$LAZYGIT_NEW_DIR_FILE")" || return
    rm -f "$LAZYGIT_NEW_DIR_FILE"
  fi
}

15 · Submodules, tags, remotes, search, and comparison

Submodules

Tags

Tags tab: n creates from current commit, Space checks out detached HEAD, P pushes selected tag, d offers local/remote deletion, w creates worktree, g resets to tag.

Search, filter, compare

• / filters some views and searches others. Search keeps context and uses n/N; filter narrows list.
• Files Ctrl B filters by staged/unstaged status.
• Global Ctrl S filters commit log, including file path.
• Select commit/ref and press W (or Ctrl E) to mark diff reference; choose another ref. Menu reverses direction or exits diff mode.
• {/} decreases/increases diff context. Ctrl W toggles whitespace. Ctrl T launches configured git difftool.
• |/\ cycles configured pagers forward/backward.

16 · Real-repo labs

All labs use disposable local repository. No network remote required. Commands create intentional history and conflicts; run only inside generated directory.

lab_dir="$(mktemp -d)/lazygit-lab"
mkdir -p "$lab_dir"
cd "$lab_dir"
git init -b main
git config user.name "Lazygit Student"
git config user.email "student@example.invalid"

printf '# Lazygit Lab\n' > README.md
printf 'mode=stable\n' > app.conf
git add README.md app.conf
git commit -m "Initialize lab"

printf '\nFirst note.\n' >> README.md
printf 'mode=fast\nfeature=off\n' > app.conf
lazygit

# Start from lab repo after Lab 0
git switch main
git status --short

git switch main
printf 'color=blue\n' > theme.conf
git add theme.conf
git commit -m "Add blue theme"

git switch -c feature/theme
printf 'color=green\n' > theme.conf
git commit -am "Use green theme"

git switch main
printf 'color=amber\n' > theme.conf
git commit -am "Use amber theme"
lazygit

git switch -c feature/history main
printf 'one\n' > one.txt
git add one.txt && git commit -m "Add one"
printf 'two\n' > two.txt
git add two.txt && git commit -m "Add two"
printf 'three\n' > three.txt
git add three.txt && git commit -m "Add three"
lazygit

17 · Troubleshooting and safety playbook

Five-second destructive-action pause

1. Where? Focused panel and selected object.
2. What state? Working tree, index, local ref, or remote?
3. Recoverable? Reflog, stash, branch, backup, or none?
4. Shared? Has commit/ref been pushed or consumed?
5. Verify? What visible change and test confirms success?

18 · Comprehensive default-key reference

Curated for v0.63.0 daily and advanced operations. Press ? for complete context list in installed version.

Global + navigation

Files + staging

Branches + remotes

Commits + reflog

Stash + worktrees + submodules + tags

Main view + commit-file patch building + conflicts

Less-frequent global/status controls

19 · Compact cheat sheet

20 · Retrieval quiz, glossary, sources

Answer aloud before revealing. Mark honestly; score persists locally in this browser.

Glossary

Focused panel

Panel receiving keystrokes; shown with emphasized border.

Main view

Large preview/work area showing diff, graph, staging, patch, or conflict content.

Range select

Contiguous multi-selection, toggled with v or extended with Shift+arrows.

Custom patch

Selected files/hunks/lines from an old commit, used for history surgery through Ctrl P.

Fixup commit

Temporary fixup!/amend! commit targeting earlier commit for later autosquash.

Marked base

Commit selected with B delimiting commits moved by next rebase-onto.

Nuke

Destructive Files reset option removing everything visible in Git status, including dirty submodules.

Reflog undo

Lazygit's interpretation of ref/commit movements, navigated with z/Z.

Sources

Content verified against official tagged v0.63.0 source and installed v0.63.0 binary on 2026-07-20. External links require network; guide itself does not.

• Official lazygit README: features, installation, usage
• Official v0.63.0 default keybindings
• Official undo/redo behavior and limitations
• Official fixup/amend commit workflow
• Official range-selection behavior
• Official searching/filtering behavior
• Official stacked-branches guidance
• Official terminal compatibility notes