As developers, we're constantly looking for tools that can help us stay in the flow and be more productive. Today, I want to share a powerful tool that's been gaining traction in the developer community: GitKraken CLI. This command-line interface brings together several key features that modern developers love - it's AI-powered, terminal-based, and incredibly efficient for managing Git workflows.
What Makes GitKraken CLI Special?
GitKraken CLI (accessible via the gk command) stands out because it simplifies complex Git workflows while adding intelligent automation. Unlike traditional Git commands, it provides a more intuitive workflow management system that can handle multiple repositories simultaneously.
Getting Started
Installation is straightforward. On Windows, you can install it using:
winget install gitkraken.cli
Once installed, you'll have access to the gk command, which becomes your gateway to streamlined Git operations.
The Workflow in Action
Let's walk through a typical development session using GitKraken CLI:
1. Starting a Work Session
Instead of manually creating branches and switching contexts, you can start a focused work session:
gk w start "Add Behind my Cloud feed" -i "Add Behind my Cloud feed #1"
This single command:
- Creates a new branch based on your issue/feature name
- Switches to that branch automatically
- Links the work session to a specific issue
- Sets up your development environment for focused work
2. Managing Multiple Work Sessions
You can easily see all your active work sessions:
gk w list
This is particularly powerful when working across multiple repositories or juggling several features simultaneously.
3. Committing with Intelligence
After making your changes, adding files works as expected:
gk add .
But here's where the AI magic happens. Instead of writing commit messages manually:
gk w commit --ai
The AI analyzes your changes and generates meaningful, descriptive commit messages automatically. No more "quick fix" or "update stuff" commits!
4. Pushing and Creating Pull Requests
Publishing your work is equally streamlined:
gk w push
And when you're ready to create a pull request:
gk w pr create --ai
Again, AI assistance helps generate appropriate PR titles and descriptions based on your work.
5. Wrapping Up
Once your work is complete and merged, clean up is simple:
gk w end
This command:
- Switches you back to the main branch
- Deletes the feature branch, locally and on GitHub
- Closes the work session
- Leaves your repository clean and ready for the next task
Why This Matters
The beauty of GitKraken CLI lies in its ability to keep you in the zone. You don't need to:
- Switch between multiple tools
- Remember complex Git commands
- Write commit messages from scratch
- Manually manage branch lifecycle
Everything flows naturally from one command to the next, maintaining your focus on what matters most: writing code.
Multi-Repository Power
One of the standout features is GitKraken CLI's ability to manage multiple repositories simultaneously. This is invaluable for:
- Microservices architectures
- Full-stack applications with separate frontend/backend repos
- Organizations with multiple related projects
Try It Yourself
GitKraken CLI is part of a broader suite of developer tools that GitKraken offers. The CLI itself is free to use, which makes it easy to experiment with and integrate into your workflow without any upfront commitment. If you find value in the CLI and want to explore their other tools, GitKraken has various products that might complement your development setup.
The learning curve is genuinely minimal since it builds on Git concepts you already know while adding helpful automation. I've found that even small workflow improvements can compound over time, especially when you're working on multiple projects or dealing with frequent context switching.
If you're curious about what else GitKraken offers beyond the CLI, you can explore their full product lineup here. For those who decide the Pro features would benefit their workflow, as an ambassador of GitKraken I can share my code to provide a 50% discount for your GitKraken Pro subscription.
The combination of AI assistance and intuitive commands addresses real pain points that many developers face daily. Whether GitKraken CLI becomes a core part of your toolkit will depend on your specific workflow, but it's worth trying given that it's free and takes just a few minutes to set up.
The best tools are the ones that get out of your way and let you focus on building. GitKraken CLI aims to do exactly that.