Git always feels like it slows me down more than it helps. What git productivity tips do you have for making version control actually efficient? I'm tired of spending 10 minutes trying to fix a merge conflict that should take 30 seconds.
For git productivity tips, learn to use git stash effectively. Instead of committing half-finished work, stash it, switch branches, do your urgent task, then pop the stash back. Also, git add -p (patch mode) lets you stage specific changes within a file - super useful for separating unrelated changes. And aliases! I have gs for git status, gl for git log --oneline, etc.
Set up a good git prompt in your terminal. It shows which branch you're on and if you have uncommitted changes right in the prompt. Saves so much time not having to type git status constantly. Also, learn git reflog - it's like an undo history for git operations. If you accidentally reset or rebase wrong, reflog can save you.
Use a visual git tool alongside the command line. I use Fork (on Mac) or GitKraken. The visual representation of branches and merges makes complex situations much clearer. But I still use the command line for most operations - the visual tool is just for understanding the state and planning operations. This combination is the real git productivity tip.