Why LazyGit is My Favorite Git Tool (Even Over the CLI)

If you work with Git daily, you’ve probably had moments where you felt the pain of juggling multiple branches, resolving conflicts, or trying to remember the exact command to cherry-pick a commit. For years, I stuck to the command line, convinced it was the most efficient way to work with Git—until I found LazyGit.

LazyGit isn’t just a Git UI; it’s awesome for managing repositories efficiently. It’s so good that I now prefer it over the CLI for most Git-related tasks. Here’s why.

What is LazyGit?

LazyGit is a terminal-based UI for Git that simplifies repository management without taking away the power and flexibility of Git itself. It provides a clear, keyboard-driven interface that makes common Git actions fast and intuitive.

It’s especially great for those who:

• Want a smoother way to stage, commit, and push changes
• Need a better visual representation of branches and commits
• Hate resolving conflicts manually via CLI commands
• Often work with multiple repositories at once

I’ve Tried Many Git Tools—LazyGit Stands Out

Over the years, I’ve tested a lot of different Git tools—Sourcetree, GitHub Desktop, Gitbutler, and more. Some were too slow, others too limited, and a few just didn’t click with me. LazyGit, however, hits that sweet spot: fast, efficient, and doesn’t try to hold my hand too much. It gives me all the power of Git without making me type out everything manually.

Why LazyGit is Better Than the CLI (At Least for Me)

1. Speeding Up Common Git Tasks

Git commands are powerful but often require multiple steps. Take staging and committing files, for example:

With CLI:

 git add .
 git commit -m "Some message"
 git push origin main

With LazyGit:

• Press space to stage files
• Press c to commit
• Press P to push

It reduces friction and speeds up my workflow significantly.

2. Better Conflict Resolution

Merge conflicts are the worst. Instead of manually looking through file diffs and using git diff, LazyGit presents conflicts in a clean and navigable UI. It even lets you toggle between versions and select the right changes effortlessly.

3. Visualizing Branches and Commits

Git’s CLI tools like git log --oneline --graph are helpful, but LazyGit takes it to another level. It provides a real-time view of branches, commits, and merges—no need to mentally parse ASCII graphs.

4. Easier Branch Management

Switching between branches with git checkout is fine, but LazyGit lets me navigate branches faster with arrow keys and see their status without typing commands.

5. Effortless Stash Management

Using git stash via the CLI can be annoying, especially when managing multiple stashes. LazyGit provides a stash viewer, making it easy to apply, drop, or pop stashes when needed.

When I Still Use the CLI

LazyGit is great, but it doesn’t completely replace the Git CLI. I still use the CLI for:

• Writing complex git rebase commands
• Running git bisect when debugging
• Automating Git tasks in scripts

But for daily Git usage, LazyGit is hands down the best tool I’ve found.

How to Get Started with LazyGit

Installing LazyGit is simple:

For macOS:

brew install lazygit

For Linux:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:lazygit-team/release
sudo apt update
sudo apt install lazygit

For Windows, use Scoop or Chocolatey:

scoop install lazygit
# or
choco install lazygit

Once installed, just run:

lazygit

And enjoy a smoother Git workflow!

Final Thoughts

I never thought I’d enjoy a Git UI tool more than the CLI, but LazyGit has won me over. It keeps the speed of the command line while adding just enough visual clarity and usability to make Git easier to work with daily.

If you haven’t tried LazyGit yet, give it a shot—you might never go back!

Do you use LazyGit, or do you prefer sticking to the CLI? Send me a message on LinkedIn and let me know!