bit

bit is an experimental modernized git CLI built on top of git that provides happy defaults and other niceties:

• command and flag suggestions to help you navigate the plethora of options git provides you
• autocompletion for files and branch names when using bit add or bit checkout
• automatic fetch and branch fast-forwarding reducing the likelihood of merge conflicts
• suggestions work with git aliases
• new commands like bit sync that vastly simplify your workflow
• commands from git-extras such as bit release & bit info
• fully compatible with git allowing you to fallback to git if need be.

Install / Update

using cURL (Simplest way to install)

curl -sf https://gobinaries.com/chriswalz/bit | sh; curl -sf https://gobinaries.com/chriswalz/bit/bitcomplete | sh && echo y | COMP_INSTALL=1 bitcomplete;
bit;

using go (Harder way to install)

Caveats: GOPATH and GOBIN need to be set. Verify with go env. If they are not set, add this to your .bashrc or .bash_profile etc. AND open new terminal

export GOPATH=$HOME/go
export GOBIN=$(go env GOPATH)/bin

GO111MODULE=on go get github.com/chriswalz/bit@latest;
GO111MODULE=on go get github.com/chriswalz/bit/bitcomplete@latest;
COMP_INSTALL=1 bitcomplete;

using go (For Windows Users)

go env -w GO111MODULE=on

# if latest is not working, replace it with the latest tag found here https://github.com/chriswalz/bit/releases
go get github.com/chriswalz/bit@latest; 
bit

using zinit

zinit ice lucit wait"0" as"program" from"gh-r" pick"bit"
zinit light "chriswalz/bit"

Note: On Windows only the interactive prompt completion works not classic tab completion

Verify installation with:

bit

Dependencies: Git

Platform Support:

• iTerm2 (macOS)
• Terminal.app (macOS)
• Command Prompt (Windows)
• WSL/Windows Subsystem for Linux (Windows)
• gnome-terminal (Ubuntu)

Bit specific command Usage

Create a new commit

bit save [commit message]

Save your changes to the current branch [amends current commit when ahead of origin]

bit save

Synchronize your changes to origin branch (Beta)

bit sync

You have access to ALL git commands as well. 90% of the time the above commands will have you covered.

bit commit -m "I can still use git commands", bit pull -r origin master

Example Workflow

bit switch example-branch Branch does not exist. Do you want to create it? Y/n

yes

Switched to a new branch 'example-branch'

[Makes some changes]

bit save "add important feature"

[fix an error for important feature]

bit save

[push changes to origin]

bit sync

[two days later confirm your branch is in sync with origin]

bit sync

Features

• Automatic fetching & fast forwarding to keep your branches up to date and prevent merge conflicts
• Simplify your entire rebase workflow with a single command bit sync
• Automatic suggestions at your fingertips
• bit is fully compatible with git. All features of git are available if need be.

Principles

1. Think in the age of the cloud
2. Embed the spirit of modern day workflows
3. Favor simplicity over complexity
4. Bit should have happy defaults
5. Bit must be fully compatible with Git

Inspiration

Thanks to Gitless, git-extras, researchers in the field and of course the developers of git itself! Also, thanks to go-prompt for the interactive prompt library

News

• https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24751212
• https://www.tldrnewsletter.com/archives/20201007
• https://www.reddit.com/r/golang/comments/j5wggn/bit_an_experimental_git_cli_with_a_powerful/
• https://b.hatena.ne.jp/entry/s/github.com/chriswalz/bit
• https://news.hada.io/topic?id=2990
• https://twitter.com/newsycombinator/status/1315517850954727424
• https://forum.devtalk.com/t/bit-a-modernized-git-cli-written-in-go/3065
• https://gocn.vip/topics/11063
• https://golangweekly.com/issues/333
• https://archive.faabli.com/archive/2020-10-09

Changelog

v0.6

• fix: improved git compatibility for older versions of git
• feature: emacs key binds
• feature: relative and absolute branch times
• feature: completions for rebase & log
• enhancement: smarter suggestions
• fix: show proper descriptions for some flags
• fix: prevent panic on classical tab completion for some users

v0.5

• bit switch, bit co, bit checkout will show prompt
• fix bit tab completion (bitcomplete)
• fix edge case where there is an invalid ref
• various minor fixes
• more completions
• better suggestion filtering
• absolute and relative times for branch suggestions

v0.4

• multiline support with Go Survey Library
• color mitigation to have roughly similar colors across OSs
• fix README go get installation instructions
• QOL improvements for bit sync

How to uninstall

go binaries are self-contained so uninstalling simply requires deleting the binary(ies)

rm `which bit`
rm `which bitcomplete`