diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/bisect.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/bisect.go
index b09a50bf5..898151d9c 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/bisect.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/bisect.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package git_commands
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -98,13 +97,15 @@ func (self *BisectCommands) GetInfo() *BisectInfo {
 }
 
 func (self *BisectCommands) Reset() error {
-	return self.cmd.New("git bisect reset").StreamOutput().Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("bisect").Arg("reset").ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).StreamOutput().Run()
 }
 
 func (self *BisectCommands) Mark(ref string, term string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(
-		fmt.Sprintf("git bisect %s %s", term, ref),
-	).
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("bisect").Arg(term, ref).ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).
 		IgnoreEmptyError().
 		StreamOutput().
 		Run()
@@ -115,7 +116,9 @@ func (self *BisectCommands) Skip(ref string) error {
 }
 
 func (self *BisectCommands) Start() error {
-	return self.cmd.New("git bisect start").StreamOutput().Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("bisect").Arg("start").ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).StreamOutput().Run()
 }
 
 // tells us whether we've found our problem commit(s). We return a string slice of
@@ -137,7 +140,8 @@ func (self *BisectCommands) IsDone() (bool, []string, error) {
 	done := false
 	candidates := []string{}
 
-	err := self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git rev-list %s", newSha)).RunAndProcessLines(func(line string) (bool, error) {
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("rev-list").Arg(newSha).ToString()
+	err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).RunAndProcessLines(func(line string) (bool, error) {
 		sha := strings.TrimSpace(line)
 
 		if status, ok := info.statusMap[sha]; ok {
@@ -167,9 +171,11 @@ func (self *BisectCommands) IsDone() (bool, []string, error) {
 // bisecting is actually a descendant of our current bisect commit. If it's not, we need to
 // render the commits from the bad commit.
 func (self *BisectCommands) ReachableFromStart(bisectInfo *BisectInfo) bool {
-	err := self.cmd.New(
-		fmt.Sprintf("git merge-base --is-ancestor %s %s", bisectInfo.GetNewSha(), bisectInfo.GetStartSha()),
-	).DontLog().Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("merge-base").
+		Arg("--is-ancestor", bisectInfo.GetNewSha(), bisectInfo.GetStartSha()).
+		ToString()
+
+	err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().Run()
 
 	return err == nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/branch.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/branch.go
index a71e365ea..0952e59e1 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/branch.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/branch.go
@@ -20,12 +20,20 @@ func NewBranchCommands(gitCommon *GitCommon) *BranchCommands {
 
 // New creates a new branch
 func (self *BranchCommands) New(name string, base string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git checkout -b %s %s", self.cmd.Quote(name), self.cmd.Quote(base))).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("checkout").
+		Arg("-b", self.cmd.Quote(name), self.cmd.Quote(base)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 // CurrentBranchInfo get the current branch information.
 func (self *BranchCommands) CurrentBranchInfo() (BranchInfo, error) {
-	branchName, err := self.cmd.New("git symbolic-ref --short HEAD").DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+	branchName, err := self.cmd.New(
+		NewGitCmd("symbolic-ref").
+			Arg("--short", "HEAD").
+			ToString(),
+	).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 	if err == nil && branchName != "HEAD\n" {
 		trimmedBranchName := strings.TrimSpace(branchName)
 		return BranchInfo{
@@ -34,7 +42,11 @@ func (self *BranchCommands) CurrentBranchInfo() (BranchInfo, error) {
 			DetachedHead: false,
 		}, nil
 	}
-	output, err := self.cmd.New(`git branch --points-at=HEAD --format="%(HEAD)%00%(objectname)%00%(refname)"`).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+	output, err := self.cmd.New(
+		NewGitCmd("branch").
+			Arg("--points-at=HEAD", "--format=\"%(HEAD)%00%(objectname)%00%(refname)\"").
+			ToString(),
+	).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		return BranchInfo{}, err
 	}
@@ -59,13 +71,12 @@ func (self *BranchCommands) CurrentBranchInfo() (BranchInfo, error) {
 
 // Delete delete branch
 func (self *BranchCommands) Delete(branch string, force bool) error {
-	command := "git branch -d"
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("branch").
+		ArgIfElse(force, "-D", "-d").
+		Arg(self.cmd.Quote(branch)).
+		ToString()
 
-	if force {
-		command = "git branch -D"
-	}
-
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("%s %s", command, self.cmd.Quote(branch))).Run()
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 // Checkout checks out a branch (or commit), with --force if you set the force arg to true
@@ -75,12 +86,12 @@ type CheckoutOptions struct {
 }
 
 func (self *BranchCommands) Checkout(branch string, options CheckoutOptions) error {
-	forceArg := ""
-	if options.Force {
-		forceArg = " --force"
-	}
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("checkout").
+		ArgIf(options.Force, "--force").
+		Arg(self.cmd.Quote(branch)).
+		ToString()
 
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git checkout%s %s", forceArg, self.cmd.Quote(branch))).
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).
 		// prevents git from prompting us for input which would freeze the program
 		// TODO: see if this is actually needed here
 		AddEnvVars("GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0").
@@ -104,15 +115,27 @@ func (self *BranchCommands) GetGraphCmdObj(branchName string) oscommands.ICmdObj
 }
 
 func (self *BranchCommands) SetCurrentBranchUpstream(remoteName string, remoteBranchName string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git branch --set-upstream-to=%s/%s", self.cmd.Quote(remoteName), self.cmd.Quote(remoteBranchName))).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("branch").
+		Arg(fmt.Sprintf("--set-upstream-to=%s/%s", self.cmd.Quote(remoteName), self.cmd.Quote(remoteBranchName))).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *BranchCommands) SetUpstream(remoteName string, remoteBranchName string, branchName string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git branch --set-upstream-to=%s/%s %s", self.cmd.Quote(remoteName), self.cmd.Quote(remoteBranchName), self.cmd.Quote(branchName))).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("branch").
+		Arg(fmt.Sprintf("--set-upstream-to=%s/%s", self.cmd.Quote(remoteName), self.cmd.Quote(remoteBranchName))).
+		Arg(self.cmd.Quote(branchName)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *BranchCommands) UnsetUpstream(branchName string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git branch --unset-upstream %s", self.cmd.Quote(branchName))).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("branch").Arg("--unset-upstream", self.cmd.Quote(branchName)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *BranchCommands) GetCurrentBranchUpstreamDifferenceCount() (string, string) {
@@ -126,29 +149,49 @@ func (self *BranchCommands) GetUpstreamDifferenceCount(branchName string) (strin
 // GetCommitDifferences checks how many pushables/pullables there are for the
 // current branch
 func (self *BranchCommands) GetCommitDifferences(from, to string) (string, string) {
-	command := "git rev-list %s..%s --count"
-	pushableCount, err := self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf(command, to, from)).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+	pushableCount, err := self.countDifferences(to, from)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "?", "?"
 	}
-	pullableCount, err := self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf(command, from, to)).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+	pullableCount, err := self.countDifferences(from, to)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "?", "?"
 	}
 	return strings.TrimSpace(pushableCount), strings.TrimSpace(pullableCount)
 }
 
+func (self *BranchCommands) countDifferences(from, to string) (string, error) {
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("rev-list").
+		Arg(fmt.Sprintf("%s..%s", from, to)).
+		Arg("--count").
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+}
+
 func (self *BranchCommands) IsHeadDetached() bool {
-	err := self.cmd.New("git symbolic-ref -q HEAD").DontLog().Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("symbolic-ref").Arg("-q", "HEAD").ToString()
+
+	err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().Run()
 	return err != nil
 }
 
 func (self *BranchCommands) Rename(oldName string, newName string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git branch --move %s %s", self.cmd.Quote(oldName), self.cmd.Quote(newName))).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("branch").
+		Arg("--move", self.cmd.Quote(oldName), self.cmd.Quote(newName)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *BranchCommands) GetRawBranches() (string, error) {
-	return self.cmd.New(`git for-each-ref --sort=-committerdate --format="%(HEAD)%00%(refname:short)%00%(upstream:short)%00%(upstream:track)" refs/heads`).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("for-each-ref").
+		Arg("--sort=-committerdate").
+		Arg(`--format="%(HEAD)%00%(refname:short)%00%(upstream:short)%00%(upstream:track)"`).
+		Arg("refs/heads").
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 }
 
 type MergeOpts struct {
@@ -156,15 +199,12 @@ type MergeOpts struct {
 }
 
 func (self *BranchCommands) Merge(branchName string, opts MergeOpts) error {
-	mergeArg := ""
-	if self.UserConfig.Git.Merging.Args != "" {
-		mergeArg = " " + self.UserConfig.Git.Merging.Args
-	}
-
-	command := fmt.Sprintf("git merge --no-edit%s %s", mergeArg, self.cmd.Quote(branchName))
-	if opts.FastForwardOnly {
-		command = fmt.Sprintf("%s --ff-only", command)
-	}
+	command := NewGitCmd("merge").
+		Arg("--no-edit").
+		ArgIf(self.UserConfig.Git.Merging.Args != "", self.UserConfig.Git.Merging.Args).
+		ArgIf(opts.FastForwardOnly, "--ff-only").
+		Arg(self.cmd.Quote(branchName)).
+		ToString()
 
 	return self.cmd.New(command).Run()
 }
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/commit.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/commit.go
index 0c5008e38..bca68c3ac 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/commit.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/commit.go
@@ -22,18 +22,27 @@ func NewCommitCommands(gitCommon *GitCommon) *CommitCommands {
 
 // ResetAuthor resets the author of the topmost commit
 func (self *CommitCommands) ResetAuthor() error {
-	return self.cmd.New("git commit --allow-empty --only --no-edit --amend --reset-author").Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("commit").
+		Arg("--allow-empty", "--only", "--no-edit", "--amend", "--reset-author").
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 // Sets the commit's author to the supplied value. Value is expected to be of the form 'Name <Email>'
 func (self *CommitCommands) SetAuthor(value string) error {
-	commandStr := fmt.Sprintf("git commit --allow-empty --only --no-edit --amend --author=%s", self.cmd.Quote(value))
-	return self.cmd.New(commandStr).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("commit").
+		Arg("--allow-empty", "--only", "--no-edit", "--amend", "--author="+self.cmd.Quote(value)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 // ResetToCommit reset to commit
 func (self *CommitCommands) ResetToCommit(sha string, strength string, envVars []string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git reset --%s %s", strength, sha)).
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("reset").Arg("--"+strength, sha).ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).
 		// prevents git from prompting us for input which would freeze the program
 		// TODO: see if this is actually needed here
 		AddEnvVars("GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0").
@@ -45,38 +54,52 @@ func (self *CommitCommands) CommitCmdObj(message string) oscommands.ICmdObj {
 	messageArgs := self.commitMessageArgs(message)
 
 	skipHookPrefix := self.UserConfig.Git.SkipHookPrefix
-	noVerifyFlag := ""
-	if skipHookPrefix != "" && strings.HasPrefix(message, skipHookPrefix) {
-		noVerifyFlag = " --no-verify"
-	}
 
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git commit%s%s%s", noVerifyFlag, self.signoffFlag(), messageArgs))
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("commit").
+		ArgIf(skipHookPrefix != "" && strings.HasPrefix(message, skipHookPrefix), "--no-verify").
+		ArgIf(self.signoffFlag() != "", self.signoffFlag()).
+		Arg(messageArgs...).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr)
 }
 
 // RewordLastCommit rewords the topmost commit with the given message
 func (self *CommitCommands) RewordLastCommit(message string) error {
 	messageArgs := self.commitMessageArgs(message)
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git commit --allow-empty --amend --only%s", messageArgs)).Run()
+
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("commit").
+		Arg("--allow-empty", "--amend", "--only").
+		Arg(messageArgs...).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
-func (self *CommitCommands) commitMessageArgs(message string) string {
+func (self *CommitCommands) commitMessageArgs(message string) []string {
 	msg, description, _ := strings.Cut(message, "\n")
-	descriptionArgs := ""
+	args := []string{"-m", self.cmd.Quote(msg)}
+
 	if description != "" {
-		descriptionArgs = fmt.Sprintf(" -m %s", self.cmd.Quote(description))
+		args = append(args, "-m", self.cmd.Quote(description))
 	}
 
-	return fmt.Sprintf(" -m %s%s", self.cmd.Quote(msg), descriptionArgs)
+	return args
 }
 
 // runs git commit without the -m argument meaning it will invoke the user's editor
 func (self *CommitCommands) CommitEditorCmdObj() oscommands.ICmdObj {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git commit%s%s", self.signoffFlag(), self.verboseFlag()))
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("commit").
+		ArgIf(self.signoffFlag() != "", self.signoffFlag()).
+		ArgIf(self.verboseFlag() != "", self.verboseFlag()).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr)
 }
 
 func (self *CommitCommands) signoffFlag() string {
 	if self.UserConfig.Git.Commit.SignOff {
-		return " --signoff"
+		return "--signoff"
 	} else {
 		return ""
 	}
@@ -85,9 +108,9 @@ func (self *CommitCommands) signoffFlag() string {
 func (self *CommitCommands) verboseFlag() string {
 	switch self.config.UserConfig.Git.Commit.Verbose {
 	case "always":
-		return " --verbose"
+		return "--verbose"
 	case "never":
-		return " --no-verbose"
+		return "--no-verbose"
 	default:
 		return ""
 	}
@@ -95,19 +118,25 @@ func (self *CommitCommands) verboseFlag() string {
 
 // Get the subject of the HEAD commit
 func (self *CommitCommands) GetHeadCommitMessage() (string, error) {
-	message, err := self.cmd.New("git log -1 --pretty=%s").DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("log").Arg("-1", "--pretty=%s").ToString()
+
+	message, err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 	return strings.TrimSpace(message), err
 }
 
 func (self *CommitCommands) GetCommitMessage(commitSha string) (string, error) {
-	cmdStr := "git rev-list --format=%B --max-count=1 " + commitSha
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("rev-list").
+		Arg("--format=%B", "--max-count=1", commitSha).
+		ToString()
+
 	messageWithHeader, err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 	message := strings.Join(strings.SplitAfter(messageWithHeader, "\n")[1:], "")
 	return strings.TrimSpace(message), err
 }
 
 func (self *CommitCommands) GetCommitDiff(commitSha string) (string, error) {
-	cmdStr := "git show --no-color " + commitSha
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("show").Arg("--no-color", commitSha).ToString()
+
 	diff, err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 	return diff, err
 }
@@ -118,7 +147,10 @@ type Author struct {
 }
 
 func (self *CommitCommands) GetCommitAuthor(commitSha string) (Author, error) {
-	cmdStr := "git show --no-patch --pretty=format:'%an%x00%ae' " + commitSha
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("show").
+		Arg("--no-patch", "--pretty=format:'%an%x00%ae'", commitSha).
+		ToString()
+
 	output, err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		return Author{}, err
@@ -138,15 +170,21 @@ func (self *CommitCommands) GetCommitMessageFirstLine(sha string) (string, error
 }
 
 func (self *CommitCommands) GetCommitMessagesFirstLine(shas []string) (string, error) {
-	return self.cmd.New(
-		fmt.Sprintf("git show --no-patch --pretty=format:%%s %s", strings.Join(shas, " ")),
-	).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("show").
+		Arg("--no-patch", "--pretty=format:%s").
+		Arg(shas...).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 }
 
 func (self *CommitCommands) GetCommitsOneline(shas []string) (string, error) {
-	return self.cmd.New(
-		fmt.Sprintf("git show --no-patch --oneline %s", strings.Join(shas, " ")),
-	).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("show").
+		Arg("--no-patch", "--oneline").
+		Arg(shas...).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 }
 
 // AmendHead amends HEAD with whatever is staged in your working tree
@@ -155,42 +193,57 @@ func (self *CommitCommands) AmendHead() error {
 }
 
 func (self *CommitCommands) AmendHeadCmdObj() oscommands.ICmdObj {
-	return self.cmd.New("git commit --amend --no-edit --allow-empty")
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("commit").
+		Arg("--amend", "--no-edit", "--allow-empty").
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr)
 }
 
 func (self *CommitCommands) ShowCmdObj(sha string, filterPath string, ignoreWhitespace bool) oscommands.ICmdObj {
 	contextSize := self.UserConfig.Git.DiffContextSize
-	filterPathArg := ""
-	if filterPath != "" {
-		filterPathArg = fmt.Sprintf(" -- %s", self.cmd.Quote(filterPath))
-	}
-	ignoreWhitespaceArg := ""
-	if ignoreWhitespace {
-		ignoreWhitespaceArg = " --ignore-all-space"
-	}
 
-	cmdStr := fmt.Sprintf("git show --submodule --color=%s --unified=%d --stat -p %s%s%s",
-		self.UserConfig.Git.Paging.ColorArg, contextSize, sha, ignoreWhitespaceArg, filterPathArg)
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("show").
+		Arg("--submodule").
+		Arg("--color="+self.UserConfig.Git.Paging.ColorArg).
+		Arg(fmt.Sprintf("--unified=%d", contextSize)).
+		Arg("--stat").
+		Arg("-p").
+		Arg(sha).
+		ArgIf(ignoreWhitespace, "--ignore-all-space").
+		ArgIf(filterPath != "", "--", self.cmd.Quote(filterPath)).
+		ToString()
+
 	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog()
 }
 
 // Revert reverts the selected commit by sha
 func (self *CommitCommands) Revert(sha string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git revert %s", sha)).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("revert").Arg(sha).ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *CommitCommands) RevertMerge(sha string, parentNumber int) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git revert %s -m %d", sha, parentNumber)).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("revert").Arg(sha, "-m", fmt.Sprintf("%d", parentNumber)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 // CreateFixupCommit creates a commit that fixes up a previous commit
 func (self *CommitCommands) CreateFixupCommit(sha string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git commit --fixup=%s", sha)).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("commit").Arg("--fixup=" + sha).ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 // a value of 0 means the head commit, 1 is the parent commit, etc
 func (self *CommitCommands) GetCommitMessageFromHistory(value int) (string, error) {
-	hash, _ := self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git log -1 --skip=%d --pretty=%%H", value)).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("log").Arg("-1", fmt.Sprintf("--skip=%d", value), "--pretty=%H").
+		ToString()
+
+	hash, _ := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 	formattedHash := strings.TrimSpace(hash)
 	if len(formattedHash) == 0 {
 		return "", ErrInvalidCommitIndex
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/commit_file_loader.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/commit_file_loader.go
index 0b606ae86..53ca046ba 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/commit_file_loader.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/commit_file_loader.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package git_commands
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/jesseduffield/generics/slices"
@@ -25,12 +24,18 @@ func NewCommitFileLoader(common *common.Common, cmd oscommands.ICmdObjBuilder) *
 
 // GetFilesInDiff get the specified commit files
 func (self *CommitFileLoader) GetFilesInDiff(from string, to string, reverse bool) ([]*models.CommitFile, error) {
-	reverseFlag := ""
-	if reverse {
-		reverseFlag = " -R "
-	}
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("diff").
+		Arg("--submodule").
+		Arg("--no-ext-diff").
+		Arg("--name-status").
+		Arg("-z").
+		Arg("--no-renames").
+		ArgIf(reverse, "-R").
+		Arg(from).
+		Arg(to).
+		ToString()
 
-	filenames, err := self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git diff --submodule --no-ext-diff --name-status -z --no-renames %s %s %s", reverseFlag, from, to)).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+	filenames, err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/commit_loader.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/commit_loader.go
index e68f56ebb..00a468ab2 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/commit_loader.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/commit_loader.go
@@ -201,12 +201,11 @@ func (self *CommitLoader) getHydratedRebasingCommits(rebaseMode enums.RebaseMode
 	// note that we're not filtering these as we do non-rebasing commits just because
 	// I suspect that will cause some damage
 	cmdObj := self.cmd.New(
-		fmt.Sprintf(
-			"git -c log.showSignature=false show %s --no-patch --oneline %s --abbrev=%d",
-			strings.Join(commitShas, " "),
-			prettyFormat,
-			20,
-		),
+		NewGitCmd("show").
+			Config("log.showSignature=false").
+			Arg("--no-patch", "--oneline", "--abbrev=20", prettyFormat).
+			Arg(commitShas...).
+			ToString(),
 	).DontLog()
 
 	fullCommits := map[string]*models.Commit{}
@@ -375,8 +374,11 @@ func (self *CommitLoader) getMergeBase(refName string) string {
 
 	// We pass all configured main branches to the merge-base call; git will
 	// return the base commit for the closest one.
-	output, err := self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git merge-base %s %s",
-		self.cmd.Quote(refName), *self.quotedMainBranches)).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+
+	output, err := self.cmd.New(
+		NewGitCmd("merge-base").Arg(self.cmd.Quote(refName), *self.quotedMainBranches).
+			ToString(),
+	).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		// If there's an error, it must be because one of the main branches that
 		// used to exist when we called getExistingMainBranches() was deleted
@@ -391,7 +393,9 @@ func (self *CommitLoader) getExistingMainBranches() string {
 		lo.FilterMap(self.UserConfig.Git.MainBranches,
 			func(branchName string, _ int) (string, bool) {
 				quotedRef := self.cmd.Quote("refs/heads/" + branchName)
-				if err := self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git rev-parse --verify --quiet %s", quotedRef)).DontLog().Run(); err != nil {
+				if err := self.cmd.New(
+					NewGitCmd("rev-parse").Arg("--verify", "--quiet", quotedRef).ToString(),
+				).DontLog().Run(); err != nil {
 					return "", false
 				}
 				return quotedRef, true
@@ -413,9 +417,10 @@ func ignoringWarnings(commandOutput string) string {
 func (self *CommitLoader) getFirstPushedCommit(refName string) (string, error) {
 	output, err := self.cmd.
 		New(
-			fmt.Sprintf("git merge-base %s %s@{u}",
-				self.cmd.Quote(refName),
-				self.cmd.Quote(strings.TrimPrefix(refName, "refs/heads/"))),
+			NewGitCmd("merge-base").
+				Arg(self.cmd.Quote(refName)).
+				Arg(self.cmd.Quote(strings.TrimPrefix(refName, "refs/heads/")) + "@{u}").
+				ToString(),
 		).
 		DontLog().
 		RunWithOutput()
@@ -428,42 +433,23 @@ func (self *CommitLoader) getFirstPushedCommit(refName string) (string, error) {
 
 // getLog gets the git log.
 func (self *CommitLoader) getLogCmd(opts GetCommitsOptions) oscommands.ICmdObj {
-	limitFlag := ""
-	if opts.Limit {
-		limitFlag = " -300"
-	}
-
-	followFlag := ""
-	filterFlag := ""
-	if opts.FilterPath != "" {
-		followFlag = " --follow"
-		filterFlag = fmt.Sprintf(" %s", self.cmd.Quote(opts.FilterPath))
-	}
-
 	config := self.UserConfig.Git.Log
 
-	orderFlag := ""
-	if config.Order != "default" {
-		orderFlag = " --" + config.Order
-	}
-	allFlag := ""
-	if opts.All {
-		allFlag = " --all"
-	}
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("log").
+		Arg(self.cmd.Quote(opts.RefName)).
+		ArgIf(config.Order != "default", "--"+config.Order).
+		ArgIf(opts.All, "--all").
+		Arg("--oneline").
+		Arg(prettyFormat).
+		Arg("--abbrev=40").
+		ArgIf(opts.Limit, "-300").
+		ArgIf(opts.FilterPath != "", "--follow").
+		Arg("--no-show-signature").
+		Arg("--").
+		ArgIf(opts.FilterPath != "", self.cmd.Quote(opts.FilterPath)).
+		ToString()
 
-	return self.cmd.New(
-		fmt.Sprintf(
-			"git log %s%s%s --oneline %s%s --abbrev=%d%s --no-show-signature --%s",
-			self.cmd.Quote(opts.RefName),
-			orderFlag,
-			allFlag,
-			prettyFormat,
-			limitFlag,
-			40,
-			followFlag,
-			filterFlag,
-		),
-	).DontLog()
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog()
 }
 
 const prettyFormat = `--pretty=format:"%H%x00%at%x00%aN%x00%ae%x00%d%x00%p%x00%s"`
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/file_loader.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/file_loader.go
index 9f33b811a..dbd625683 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/file_loader.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/file_loader.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func (self *FileLoader) GetStatusFiles(opts GetStatusFileOptions) []*models.File
 	}
 	untrackedFilesArg := fmt.Sprintf("--untracked-files=%s", untrackedFilesSetting)
 
-	statuses, err := self.GitStatus(GitStatusOptions{NoRenames: opts.NoRenames, UntrackedFilesArg: untrackedFilesArg})
+	statuses, err := self.gitStatus(GitStatusOptions{NoRenames: opts.NoRenames, UntrackedFilesArg: untrackedFilesArg})
 	if err != nil {
 		self.Log.Error(err)
 	}
@@ -81,13 +81,15 @@ type FileStatus struct {
 	PreviousName string
 }
 
-func (c *FileLoader) GitStatus(opts GitStatusOptions) ([]FileStatus, error) {
-	noRenamesFlag := ""
-	if opts.NoRenames {
-		noRenamesFlag = " --no-renames"
-	}
+func (c *FileLoader) gitStatus(opts GitStatusOptions) ([]FileStatus, error) {
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("status").
+		Arg(opts.UntrackedFilesArg).
+		Arg("--porcelain").
+		Arg("-z").
+		ArgIf(opts.NoRenames, "--no-renames").
+		ToString()
 
-	statusLines, _, err := c.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git status %s --porcelain -z%s", opts.UntrackedFilesArg, noRenamesFlag)).DontLog().RunWithOutputs()
+	statusLines, _, err := c.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutputs()
 	if err != nil {
 		return []FileStatus{}, err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/flow.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/flow.go
index fd97707ec..fab67d81b 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/flow.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/flow.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ func (self *FlowCommands) FinishCmdObj(branchName string) (oscommands.ICmdObj, e
 	branchType := ""
 	for _, line := range strings.Split(strings.TrimSpace(prefixes), "\n") {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "gitflow.prefix.") && strings.HasSuffix(line, prefix) {
+
 			regex := regexp.MustCompile("gitflow.prefix.([^ ]*) .*")
 			matches := regex.FindAllStringSubmatch(line, 1)
 
@@ -48,9 +49,13 @@ func (self *FlowCommands) FinishCmdObj(branchName string) (oscommands.ICmdObj, e
 		return nil, errors.New(self.Tr.NotAGitFlowBranch)
 	}
 
-	return self.cmd.New("git flow " + branchType + " finish " + suffix), nil
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("flow").Arg(branchType, "finish", suffix).ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr), nil
 }
 
 func (self *FlowCommands) StartCmdObj(branchType string, name string) oscommands.ICmdObj {
-	return self.cmd.New("git flow " + branchType + " start " + name)
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("flow").Arg(branchType, "start", name).ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/git_command_builder.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/git_command_builder.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..da0859c2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/git_command_builder.go
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+package git_commands
+
+import "strings"
+
+// convenience struct for building git commands. Especially useful when
+// including conditional args
+type GitCommandBuilder struct {
+	// command string
+	args []string
+}
+
+func NewGitCmd(command string) *GitCommandBuilder {
+	return &GitCommandBuilder{args: []string{command}}
+}
+
+func (self *GitCommandBuilder) Arg(args ...string) *GitCommandBuilder {
+	self.args = append(self.args, args...)
+
+	return self
+}
+
+func (self *GitCommandBuilder) ArgIf(condition bool, ifTrue ...string) *GitCommandBuilder {
+	if condition {
+		self.Arg(ifTrue...)
+	}
+
+	return self
+}
+
+func (self *GitCommandBuilder) ArgIfElse(condition bool, ifTrue string, ifFalse string) *GitCommandBuilder {
+	if condition {
+		return self.Arg(ifTrue)
+	} else {
+		return self.Arg(ifFalse)
+	}
+}
+
+func (self *GitCommandBuilder) Config(value string) *GitCommandBuilder {
+	// config settings come before the command
+	self.args = append([]string{"-c", value}, self.args...)
+
+	return self
+}
+
+func (self *GitCommandBuilder) RepoPath(value string) *GitCommandBuilder {
+	// repo path comes before the command
+	self.args = append([]string{"-C", value}, self.args...)
+
+	return self
+}
+
+func (self *GitCommandBuilder) ToString() string {
+	return "git " + strings.Join(self.args, " ")
+}
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/git_command_builder_test.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/git_command_builder_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d3791388c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/git_command_builder_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+package git_commands
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestGitCommandBuilder(t *testing.T) {
+	scenarios := []struct {
+		input    string
+		expected string
+	}{
+		{
+			input: NewGitCmd("push").
+				Arg("--force-with-lease").
+				Arg("--set-upstream").
+				Arg("origin").
+				Arg("master").
+				ToString(),
+			expected: "git push --force-with-lease --set-upstream origin master",
+		},
+		{
+			input:    NewGitCmd("push").ArgIf(true, "--test").ToString(),
+			expected: "git push --test",
+		},
+		{
+			input:    NewGitCmd("push").ArgIf(false, "--test").ToString(),
+			expected: "git push",
+		},
+		{
+			input:    NewGitCmd("push").ArgIfElse(true, "-b", "-a").ToString(),
+			expected: "git push -b",
+		},
+		{
+			input:    NewGitCmd("push").ArgIfElse(false, "-a", "-b").ToString(),
+			expected: "git push -b",
+		},
+		{
+			input:    NewGitCmd("push").Arg("-a", "-b").ToString(),
+			expected: "git push -a -b",
+		},
+		{
+			input:    NewGitCmd("push").Config("user.name=foo").Config("user.email=bar").ToString(),
+			expected: "git -c user.email=bar -c user.name=foo push",
+		},
+		{
+			input:    NewGitCmd("push").RepoPath("a/b/c").ToString(),
+			expected: "git -C a/b/c push",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, s := range scenarios {
+		assert.Equal(t, s.input, s.expected)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/patch.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/patch.go
index 06e5e0f67..41de5a787 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/patch.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/patch.go
@@ -267,5 +267,7 @@ func (self *PatchCommands) PullPatchIntoNewCommit(commits []*models.Commit, comm
 // only some lines of a range of adjacent added lines. To solve this, we
 // get the diff of HEAD and the original commit and then apply that.
 func (self *PatchCommands) diffHeadAgainstCommit(commit *models.Commit) (string, error) {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git diff HEAD..%s", commit.Sha)).RunWithOutput()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("diff").Arg("HEAD.." + commit.Sha).ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).RunWithOutput()
 }
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/rebase.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/rebase.go
index e7a2d766a..cbda4fb1f 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/rebase.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/rebase.go
@@ -176,23 +176,21 @@ type PrepareInteractiveRebaseCommandOpts struct {
 func (self *RebaseCommands) PrepareInteractiveRebaseCommand(opts PrepareInteractiveRebaseCommandOpts) oscommands.ICmdObj {
 	ex := oscommands.GetLazygitPath()
 
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("rebase").
+		Arg("--interactive").
+		Arg("--autostash").
+		Arg("--keep-empty").
+		ArgIf(!self.version.IsOlderThan(2, 26, 0), "--empty=keep").
+		Arg("--no-autosquash").
+		ArgIf(!self.version.IsOlderThan(2, 22, 0), "--rebase-merges").
+		Arg(opts.baseShaOrRoot).
+		ToString()
+
 	debug := "FALSE"
 	if self.Debug {
 		debug = "TRUE"
 	}
 
-	emptyArg := " --empty=keep"
-	if self.version.IsOlderThan(2, 26, 0) {
-		emptyArg = ""
-	}
-
-	rebaseMergesArg := " --rebase-merges"
-	if self.version.IsOlderThan(2, 22, 0) {
-		rebaseMergesArg = ""
-	}
-
-	cmdStr := fmt.Sprintf("git rebase --interactive --autostash --keep-empty%s --no-autosquash%s %s",
-		emptyArg, rebaseMergesArg, opts.baseShaOrRoot)
 	self.Log.WithField("command", cmdStr).Debug("RunCommand")
 
 	cmdObj := self.cmd.New(cmdStr)
@@ -228,7 +226,8 @@ func (self *RebaseCommands) AmendTo(commits []*models.Commit, commitIndex int) e
 	}
 
 	// Get the sha of the commit we just created
-	fixupSha, err := self.cmd.New("git rev-parse --verify HEAD").RunWithOutput()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("rev-parse").Arg("--verify", "HEAD").ToString()
+	fixupSha, err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).RunWithOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -265,14 +264,11 @@ func (self *RebaseCommands) SquashAllAboveFixupCommits(commit *models.Commit) er
 		shaOrRoot = "--root"
 	}
 
-	return self.runSkipEditorCommand(
-		self.cmd.New(
-			fmt.Sprintf(
-				"git rebase --interactive --rebase-merges --autostash --autosquash %s",
-				shaOrRoot,
-			),
-		),
-	)
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("rebase").
+		Arg("--interactive", "--rebase-merges", "--autostash", "--autosquash", shaOrRoot).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.runSkipEditorCommand(self.cmd.New(cmdStr))
 }
 
 // BeginInteractiveRebaseForCommit starts an interactive rebase to edit the current
@@ -308,7 +304,9 @@ func (self *RebaseCommands) RebaseBranch(branchName string) error {
 }
 
 func (self *RebaseCommands) GenericMergeOrRebaseActionCmdObj(commandType string, command string) oscommands.ICmdObj {
-	return self.cmd.New("git " + commandType + " --" + command)
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd(commandType).Arg("--" + command).ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr)
 }
 
 func (self *RebaseCommands) ContinueRebase() error {
@@ -365,7 +363,9 @@ func (self *RebaseCommands) DiscardOldFileChanges(commits []*models.Commit, comm
 	}
 
 	// check if file exists in previous commit (this command returns an error if the file doesn't exist)
-	if err := self.cmd.New("git cat-file -e HEAD^:" + self.cmd.Quote(fileName)).Run(); err != nil {
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("cat-file").Arg("-e", "HEAD^:"+self.cmd.Quote(fileName)).ToString()
+
+	if err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run(); err != nil {
 		if err := self.os.Remove(fileName); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/remote.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/remote.go
index 1245a8cf0..4be4350ef 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/remote.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/remote.go
@@ -15,44 +15,52 @@ func NewRemoteCommands(gitCommon *GitCommon) *RemoteCommands {
 }
 
 func (self *RemoteCommands) AddRemote(name string, url string) error {
-	return self.cmd.
-		New(fmt.Sprintf("git remote add %s %s", self.cmd.Quote(name), self.cmd.Quote(url))).
-		Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("remote").
+		Arg("add", self.cmd.Quote(name), self.cmd.Quote(url)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *RemoteCommands) RemoveRemote(name string) error {
-	return self.cmd.
-		New(fmt.Sprintf("git remote remove %s", self.cmd.Quote(name))).
-		Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("remote").
+		Arg("remove", self.cmd.Quote(name)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *RemoteCommands) RenameRemote(oldRemoteName string, newRemoteName string) error {
-	return self.cmd.
-		New(fmt.Sprintf("git remote rename %s %s", self.cmd.Quote(oldRemoteName), self.cmd.Quote(newRemoteName))).
-		Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("remote").
+		Arg("rename", self.cmd.Quote(oldRemoteName), self.cmd.Quote(newRemoteName)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *RemoteCommands) UpdateRemoteUrl(remoteName string, updatedUrl string) error {
-	return self.cmd.
-		New(fmt.Sprintf("git remote set-url %s %s", self.cmd.Quote(remoteName), self.cmd.Quote(updatedUrl))).
-		Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("remote").
+		Arg("set-url", self.cmd.Quote(remoteName), self.cmd.Quote(updatedUrl)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *RemoteCommands) DeleteRemoteBranch(remoteName string, branchName string) error {
-	command := fmt.Sprintf("git push %s --delete %s", self.cmd.Quote(remoteName), self.cmd.Quote(branchName))
-	return self.cmd.New(command).PromptOnCredentialRequest().WithMutex(self.syncMutex).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("push").
+		Arg(self.cmd.Quote(remoteName), "--delete", self.cmd.Quote(branchName)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).PromptOnCredentialRequest().WithMutex(self.syncMutex).Run()
 }
 
 // CheckRemoteBranchExists Returns remote branch
 func (self *RemoteCommands) CheckRemoteBranchExists(branchName string) bool {
-	_, err := self.cmd.
-		New(
-			fmt.Sprintf("git show-ref --verify -- refs/remotes/origin/%s",
-				self.cmd.Quote(branchName),
-			),
-		).
-		DontLog().
-		RunWithOutput()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("show-ref").
+		Arg("--verify", "--", fmt.Sprintf("refs/remotes/origin/%s", self.cmd.Quote(branchName))).
+		ToString()
+
+	_, err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 
 	return err == nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/remote_loader.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/remote_loader.go
index 1b0db49e0..d8fffff13 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/remote_loader.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/remote_loader.go
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ func NewRemoteLoader(
 }
 
 func (self *RemoteLoader) GetRemotes() ([]*models.Remote, error) {
-	remoteBranchesStr, err := self.cmd.New("git branch -r").DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("branch").Arg("-r").ToString()
+	remoteBranchesStr, err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/stash.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/stash.go
index 54164e736..0033883a5 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/stash.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/stash.go
@@ -26,68 +26,94 @@ func NewStashCommands(
 }
 
 func (self *StashCommands) DropNewest() error {
-	return self.cmd.New("git stash drop").Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("stash").Arg("drop").ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *StashCommands) Drop(index int) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git stash drop stash@{%d}", index)).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("stash").Arg("drop", fmt.Sprintf("stash@{%d}", index)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *StashCommands) Pop(index int) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git stash pop stash@{%d}", index)).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("stash").Arg("pop", fmt.Sprintf("stash@{%d}", index)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *StashCommands) Apply(index int) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git stash apply stash@{%d}", index)).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("stash").Arg("apply", fmt.Sprintf("stash@{%d}", index)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 // Save save stash
 func (self *StashCommands) Save(message string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New("git stash save " + self.cmd.Quote(message)).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("stash").Arg("save", self.cmd.Quote(message)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *StashCommands) Store(sha string, message string) error {
 	trimmedMessage := strings.Trim(message, " \t")
-	if len(trimmedMessage) > 0 {
-		return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git stash store %s -m %s", self.cmd.Quote(sha), self.cmd.Quote(trimmedMessage))).Run()
-	}
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git stash store %s", self.cmd.Quote(sha))).Run()
+
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("stash").Arg("store", self.cmd.Quote(sha)).
+		ArgIf(trimmedMessage != "", "-m", self.cmd.Quote(trimmedMessage)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *StashCommands) Sha(index int) (string, error) {
-	sha, _, err := self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git rev-parse refs/stash@{%d}", index)).DontLog().RunWithOutputs()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("rev-parse").
+		Arg(fmt.Sprintf("refs/stash@{%d}", index)).
+		ToString()
+
+	sha, _, err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutputs()
 	return strings.Trim(sha, "\r\n"), err
 }
 
 func (self *StashCommands) ShowStashEntryCmdObj(index int, ignoreWhitespace bool) oscommands.ICmdObj {
-	ignoreWhitespaceFlag := ""
-	if ignoreWhitespace {
-		ignoreWhitespaceFlag = " --ignore-all-space"
-	}
-
-	cmdStr := fmt.Sprintf(
-		"git stash show -p --stat --color=%s --unified=%d%s stash@{%d}",
-		self.UserConfig.Git.Paging.ColorArg,
-		self.UserConfig.Git.DiffContextSize,
-		ignoreWhitespaceFlag,
-		index,
-	)
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("stash").Arg("show").
+		Arg("-p").
+		Arg("--stat").
+		Arg(fmt.Sprintf("--color=%s", self.UserConfig.Git.Paging.ColorArg)).
+		Arg(fmt.Sprintf("--unified=%d", self.UserConfig.Git.DiffContextSize)).
+		ArgIf(ignoreWhitespace, "--ignore-all-space").
+		Arg(fmt.Sprintf("stash@{%d}", index)).
+		ToString()
 
 	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog()
 }
 
 func (self *StashCommands) StashAndKeepIndex(message string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git stash save %s --keep-index", self.cmd.Quote(message))).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("stash").Arg("save", self.cmd.Quote(message), "--keep-index").
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *StashCommands) StashUnstagedChanges(message string) error {
-	if err := self.cmd.New("git commit --no-verify -m \"[lazygit] stashing unstaged changes\"").Run(); err != nil {
+	if err := self.cmd.New(
+		NewGitCmd("commit").
+			Arg("--no-verify", "-m", self.cmd.Quote("[lazygit] stashing unstaged changes")).
+			ToString(),
+	).Run(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	if err := self.Save(message); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if err := self.cmd.New("git reset --soft HEAD^").Run(); err != nil {
+
+	if err := self.cmd.New(
+		NewGitCmd("reset").Arg("--soft", "HEAD^").ToString(),
+	).Run(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	return nil
@@ -97,7 +123,9 @@ func (self *StashCommands) StashUnstagedChanges(message string) error {
 // shoutouts to Joe on https://stackoverflow.com/questions/14759748/stashing-only-staged-changes-in-git-is-it-possible
 func (self *StashCommands) SaveStagedChanges(message string) error {
 	// wrap in 'writing', which uses a mutex
-	if err := self.cmd.New("git stash --keep-index").Run(); err != nil {
+	if err := self.cmd.New(
+		NewGitCmd("stash").Arg("--keep-index").ToString(),
+	).Run(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -105,15 +133,22 @@ func (self *StashCommands) SaveStagedChanges(message string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if err := self.cmd.New("git stash apply stash@{1}").Run(); err != nil {
+	if err := self.cmd.New(
+		NewGitCmd("stash").Arg("apply", "stash@{1}").ToString(),
+	).Run(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if err := self.os.PipeCommands("git stash show -p", "git apply -R"); err != nil {
+	if err := self.os.PipeCommands(
+		NewGitCmd("stash").Arg("show", "-p").ToString(),
+		NewGitCmd("apply").Arg("-R").ToString(),
+	); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if err := self.cmd.New("git stash drop stash@{1}").Run(); err != nil {
+	if err := self.cmd.New(
+		NewGitCmd("stash").Arg("drop", "stash@{1}").ToString(),
+	).Run(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -135,7 +170,10 @@ func (self *StashCommands) SaveStagedChanges(message string) error {
 }
 
 func (self *StashCommands) StashIncludeUntrackedChanges(message string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git stash save %s --include-untracked", self.cmd.Quote(message))).Run()
+	return self.cmd.New(
+		NewGitCmd("stash").Arg("save", self.cmd.Quote(message), "--include-untracked").
+			ToString(),
+	).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *StashCommands) Rename(index int, message string) error {
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/stash_loader.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/stash_loader.go
index 0dea81c2c..580287256 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/stash_loader.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/stash_loader.go
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ func (self *StashLoader) GetStashEntries(filterPath string) []*models.StashEntry
 		return self.getUnfilteredStashEntries()
 	}
 
-	rawString, err := self.cmd.New("git stash list --name-only").DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("stash").Arg("list", "--name-only").ToString()
+	rawString, err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		return self.getUnfilteredStashEntries()
 	}
@@ -65,7 +66,9 @@ outer:
 }
 
 func (self *StashLoader) getUnfilteredStashEntries() []*models.StashEntry {
-	rawString, _ := self.cmd.New("git stash list -z --pretty='%gs'").DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("stash").Arg("list", "-z", "--pretty='%gs'").ToString()
+
+	rawString, _ := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 	return slices.MapWithIndex(utils.SplitNul(rawString), func(line string, index int) *models.StashEntry {
 		return self.stashEntryFromLine(line, index)
 	})
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/status.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/status.go
index d660dd8b0..9a1c19b7e 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/status.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/status.go
@@ -56,7 +56,9 @@ func (self *StatusCommands) IsBareRepo() (bool, error) {
 }
 
 func IsBareRepo(osCommand *oscommands.OSCommand) (bool, error) {
-	res, err := osCommand.Cmd.New("git rev-parse --is-bare-repository").DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+	res, err := osCommand.Cmd.New(
+		NewGitCmd("rev-parse").Arg("--is-bare-repository").ToString(),
+	).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/submodule.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/submodule.go
index 82744a338..a19e0ffe8 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/submodule.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/submodule.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package git_commands
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
-	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
@@ -82,38 +81,60 @@ func (self *SubmoduleCommands) Stash(submodule *models.SubmoduleConfig) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	return self.cmd.New("git -C " + self.cmd.Quote(submodule.Path) + " stash --include-untracked").Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("stash").
+		RepoPath(self.cmd.Quote(submodule.Path)).
+		Arg("--include-untracked").
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *SubmoduleCommands) Reset(submodule *models.SubmoduleConfig) error {
-	return self.cmd.New("git submodule update --init --force -- " + self.cmd.Quote(submodule.Path)).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("submodule").
+		Arg("update", "--init", "--force", "--", self.cmd.Quote(submodule.Path)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *SubmoduleCommands) UpdateAll() error {
 	// not doing an --init here because the user probably doesn't want that
-	return self.cmd.New("git submodule update --force").Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("submodule").Arg("update", "--force").ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *SubmoduleCommands) Delete(submodule *models.SubmoduleConfig) error {
 	// based on https://gist.github.com/myusuf3/7f645819ded92bda6677
 
-	if err := self.cmd.New("git submodule deinit --force -- " + self.cmd.Quote(submodule.Path)).Run(); err != nil {
-		if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "did not match any file(s) known to git") {
-			if err := self.cmd.New("git config --file .gitmodules --remove-section submodule." + self.cmd.Quote(submodule.Name)).Run(); err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
+	if err := self.cmd.New(
+		NewGitCmd("submodule").
+			Arg("deinit", "--force", "--", self.cmd.Quote(submodule.Path)).ToString(),
+	).Run(); err != nil {
+		if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "did not match any file(s) known to git") {
+			return err
+		}
 
-			if err := self.cmd.New("git config --remove-section submodule." + self.cmd.Quote(submodule.Name)).Run(); err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
+		if err := self.cmd.New(
+			NewGitCmd("config").
+				Arg("--file", ".gitmodules", "--remove-section", "submodule."+self.cmd.Quote(submodule.Path)).
+				ToString(),
+		).Run(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 
-			// if there's an error here about it not existing then we'll just continue to do `git rm`
-		} else {
+		if err := self.cmd.New(
+			NewGitCmd("config").
+				Arg("--remove-section", "submodule."+self.cmd.Quote(submodule.Path)).
+				ToString(),
+		).Run(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
 
-	if err := self.cmd.New("git rm --force -r " + submodule.Path).Run(); err != nil {
+	if err := self.cmd.New(
+		NewGitCmd("rm").Arg("--force", "-r", submodule.Path).ToString(),
+	).Run(); err != nil {
 		// if the directory isn't there then that's fine
 		self.Log.Error(err)
 	}
@@ -122,24 +143,35 @@ func (self *SubmoduleCommands) Delete(submodule *models.SubmoduleConfig) error {
 }
 
 func (self *SubmoduleCommands) Add(name string, path string, url string) error {
-	return self.cmd.
-		New(
-			fmt.Sprintf(
-				"git submodule add --force --name %s -- %s %s ",
-				self.cmd.Quote(name),
-				self.cmd.Quote(url),
-				self.cmd.Quote(path),
-			)).
-		Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("submodule").
+		Arg("add").
+		Arg("--force").
+		Arg("--name").
+		Arg(self.cmd.Quote(name)).
+		Arg("--").
+		Arg(self.cmd.Quote(url)).
+		Arg(self.cmd.Quote(path)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *SubmoduleCommands) UpdateUrl(name string, path string, newUrl string) error {
+	setUrlCmdStr := NewGitCmd("config").
+		Arg(
+			"--file", ".gitmodules", "submodule."+self.cmd.Quote(name)+".url", self.cmd.Quote(newUrl),
+		).
+		ToString()
+
 	// the set-url command is only for later git versions so we're doing it manually here
-	if err := self.cmd.New("git config --file .gitmodules submodule." + self.cmd.Quote(name) + ".url " + self.cmd.Quote(newUrl)).Run(); err != nil {
+	if err := self.cmd.New(setUrlCmdStr).Run(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if err := self.cmd.New("git submodule sync -- " + self.cmd.Quote(path)).Run(); err != nil {
+	syncCmdStr := NewGitCmd("submodule").Arg("sync", "--", self.cmd.Quote(path)).
+		ToString()
+
+	if err := self.cmd.New(syncCmdStr).Run(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -147,27 +179,45 @@ func (self *SubmoduleCommands) UpdateUrl(name string, path string, newUrl string
 }
 
 func (self *SubmoduleCommands) Init(path string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New("git submodule init -- " + self.cmd.Quote(path)).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("submodule").Arg("init", "--", self.cmd.Quote(path)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *SubmoduleCommands) Update(path string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New("git submodule update --init -- " + self.cmd.Quote(path)).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("submodule").Arg("update", "--init", "--", self.cmd.Quote(path)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *SubmoduleCommands) BulkInitCmdObj() oscommands.ICmdObj {
-	return self.cmd.New("git submodule init")
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("submodule").Arg("init").
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr)
 }
 
 func (self *SubmoduleCommands) BulkUpdateCmdObj() oscommands.ICmdObj {
-	return self.cmd.New("git submodule update")
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("submodule").Arg("update").
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr)
 }
 
 func (self *SubmoduleCommands) ForceBulkUpdateCmdObj() oscommands.ICmdObj {
-	return self.cmd.New("git submodule update --force")
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("submodule").Arg("update", "--force").
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr)
 }
 
 func (self *SubmoduleCommands) BulkDeinitCmdObj() oscommands.ICmdObj {
-	return self.cmd.New("git submodule deinit --all --force")
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("submodule").Arg("deinit", "--all", "--force").
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr)
 }
 
 func (self *SubmoduleCommands) ResetSubmodules(submodules []*models.SubmoduleConfig) error {
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/sync.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/sync.go
index fb1aa9648..967fd8d9e 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/sync.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/sync.go
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package git_commands
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
-
 	"github.com/go-errors/errors"
 	"github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit/pkg/commands/oscommands"
 )
@@ -26,26 +24,16 @@ type PushOpts struct {
 }
 
 func (self *SyncCommands) PushCmdObj(opts PushOpts) (oscommands.ICmdObj, error) {
-	cmdStr := "git push"
-
-	if opts.Force {
-		cmdStr += " --force-with-lease"
+	if opts.UpstreamBranch != "" && opts.UpstreamRemote == "" {
+		return nil, errors.New(self.Tr.MustSpecifyOriginError)
 	}
 
-	if opts.SetUpstream {
-		cmdStr += " --set-upstream"
-	}
-
-	if opts.UpstreamRemote != "" {
-		cmdStr += " " + self.cmd.Quote(opts.UpstreamRemote)
-	}
-
-	if opts.UpstreamBranch != "" {
-		if opts.UpstreamRemote == "" {
-			return nil, errors.New(self.Tr.MustSpecifyOriginError)
-		}
-		cmdStr += " " + self.cmd.Quote(opts.UpstreamBranch)
-	}
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("push").
+		ArgIf(opts.Force, "--force-with-lease").
+		ArgIf(opts.SetUpstream, "--set-upstream").
+		ArgIf(opts.UpstreamRemote != "", self.cmd.Quote(opts.UpstreamRemote)).
+		ArgIf(opts.UpstreamBranch != "", self.cmd.Quote(opts.UpstreamBranch)).
+		ToString()
 
 	cmdObj := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).PromptOnCredentialRequest().WithMutex(self.syncMutex)
 	return cmdObj, nil
@@ -68,14 +56,10 @@ type FetchOptions struct {
 
 // Fetch fetch git repo
 func (self *SyncCommands) Fetch(opts FetchOptions) error {
-	cmdStr := "git fetch"
-
-	if opts.RemoteName != "" {
-		cmdStr = fmt.Sprintf("%s %s", cmdStr, self.cmd.Quote(opts.RemoteName))
-	}
-	if opts.BranchName != "" {
-		cmdStr = fmt.Sprintf("%s %s", cmdStr, self.cmd.Quote(opts.BranchName))
-	}
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("fetch").
+		ArgIf(opts.RemoteName != "", self.cmd.Quote(opts.RemoteName)).
+		ArgIf(opts.BranchName != "", self.cmd.Quote(opts.BranchName)).
+		ToString()
 
 	cmdObj := self.cmd.New(cmdStr)
 	if opts.Background {
@@ -93,18 +77,12 @@ type PullOptions struct {
 }
 
 func (self *SyncCommands) Pull(opts PullOptions) error {
-	cmdStr := "git pull --no-edit"
-
-	if opts.FastForwardOnly {
-		cmdStr += " --ff-only"
-	}
-
-	if opts.RemoteName != "" {
-		cmdStr = fmt.Sprintf("%s %s", cmdStr, self.cmd.Quote(opts.RemoteName))
-	}
-	if opts.BranchName != "" {
-		cmdStr = fmt.Sprintf("%s %s", cmdStr, self.cmd.Quote(opts.BranchName))
-	}
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("pull").
+		Arg("--no-edit").
+		ArgIf(opts.FastForwardOnly, "--ff-only").
+		ArgIf(opts.RemoteName != "", self.cmd.Quote(opts.RemoteName)).
+		ArgIf(opts.BranchName != "", self.cmd.Quote(opts.BranchName)).
+		ToString()
 
 	// setting GIT_SEQUENCE_EDITOR to ':' as a way of skipping it, in case the user
 	// has 'pull.rebase = interactive' configured.
@@ -112,11 +90,18 @@ func (self *SyncCommands) Pull(opts PullOptions) error {
 }
 
 func (self *SyncCommands) FastForward(branchName string, remoteName string, remoteBranchName string) error {
-	cmdStr := fmt.Sprintf("git fetch %s %s:%s", self.cmd.Quote(remoteName), self.cmd.Quote(remoteBranchName), self.cmd.Quote(branchName))
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("fetch").
+		Arg(self.cmd.Quote(remoteName)).
+		Arg(self.cmd.Quote(remoteBranchName) + ":" + self.cmd.Quote(branchName)).
+		ToString()
+
 	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).PromptOnCredentialRequest().WithMutex(self.syncMutex).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *SyncCommands) FetchRemote(remoteName string) error {
-	cmdStr := fmt.Sprintf("git fetch %s", self.cmd.Quote(remoteName))
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("fetch").
+		Arg(self.cmd.Quote(remoteName)).
+		ToString()
+
 	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).PromptOnCredentialRequest().WithMutex(self.syncMutex).Run()
 }
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/tag.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/tag.go
index b4c04c438..ae6b816f5 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/tag.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/tag.go
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 package git_commands
 
-import (
-	"fmt"
-)
-
 type TagCommands struct {
 	*GitCommon
 }
@@ -15,25 +11,32 @@ func NewTagCommands(gitCommon *GitCommon) *TagCommands {
 }
 
 func (self *TagCommands) CreateLightweight(tagName string, ref string) error {
-	if len(ref) > 0 {
-		return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git tag -- %s %s", self.cmd.Quote(tagName), self.cmd.Quote(ref))).Run()
-	} else {
-		return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git tag -- %s", self.cmd.Quote(tagName))).Run()
-	}
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("tag").Arg("--", self.cmd.Quote(tagName)).
+		ArgIf(len(ref) > 0, self.cmd.Quote(ref)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *TagCommands) CreateAnnotated(tagName, ref, msg string) error {
-	if len(ref) > 0 {
-		return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git tag %s %s -m %s", self.cmd.Quote(tagName), self.cmd.Quote(ref), self.cmd.Quote(msg))).Run()
-	} else {
-		return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git tag %s -m %s", self.cmd.Quote(tagName), self.cmd.Quote(msg))).Run()
-	}
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("tag").Arg(self.cmd.Quote(tagName)).
+		ArgIf(len(ref) > 0, self.cmd.Quote(ref)).
+		Arg("-m", self.cmd.Quote(msg)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *TagCommands) Delete(tagName string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git tag -d %s", self.cmd.Quote(tagName))).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("tag").Arg("-d", self.cmd.Quote(tagName)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *TagCommands) Push(remoteName string, tagName string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git push %s tag %s", self.cmd.Quote(remoteName), self.cmd.Quote(tagName))).PromptOnCredentialRequest().WithMutex(self.syncMutex).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("push").Arg(self.cmd.Quote(remoteName), "tag", self.cmd.Quote(tagName)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).PromptOnCredentialRequest().WithMutex(self.syncMutex).Run()
 }
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/tag_loader.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/tag_loader.go
index 2dc5a4f41..67d26f80b 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/tag_loader.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/tag_loader.go
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ func NewTagLoader(
 func (self *TagLoader) GetTags() ([]*models.Tag, error) {
 	// get remote branches, sorted  by creation date (descending)
 	// see: https://git-scm.com/docs/git-tag#Documentation/git-tag.txt---sortltkeygt
-	tagsOutput, err := self.cmd.New(`git tag --list -n --sort=-creatordate`).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("tag").Arg("--list", "-n", "--sort=-creatordate").ToString()
+	tagsOutput, err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog().RunWithOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/version.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/version.go
index 1b1351df4..dcf624679 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/version.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/version.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ type GitVersion struct {
 }
 
 func GetGitVersion(osCommand *oscommands.OSCommand) (*GitVersion, error) {
-	versionStr, _, err := osCommand.Cmd.New("git --version").RunWithOutputs()
+	versionStr, _, err := osCommand.Cmd.New(NewGitCmd("--version").ToString()).RunWithOutputs()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/working_tree.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/working_tree.go
index b7ebe0d30..edfc3de94 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/working_tree.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/working_tree.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
-	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/go-errors/errors"
@@ -33,7 +32,7 @@ func NewWorkingTreeCommands(
 }
 
 func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) OpenMergeToolCmdObj() oscommands.ICmdObj {
-	return self.cmd.New("git mergetool")
+	return self.cmd.New(NewGitCmd("mergetool").ToString())
 }
 
 func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) OpenMergeTool() error {
@@ -49,30 +48,37 @@ func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) StageFiles(paths []string) error {
 	quotedPaths := slices.Map(paths, func(path string) string {
 		return self.cmd.Quote(path)
 	})
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git add -- %s", strings.Join(quotedPaths, " "))).Run()
+
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("add").Arg("--").Arg(quotedPaths...).ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 // StageAll stages all files
 func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) StageAll() error {
-	return self.cmd.New("git add -A").Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("add").Arg("-A").ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 // UnstageAll unstages all files
 func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) UnstageAll() error {
-	return self.cmd.New("git reset").Run()
+	return self.cmd.New(NewGitCmd("reset").ToString()).Run()
 }
 
 // UnStageFile unstages a file
 // we accept an array of filenames for the cases where a file has been renamed i.e.
 // we accept the current name and the previous name
 func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) UnStageFile(fileNames []string, reset bool) error {
-	command := "git rm --cached --force -- %s"
-	if reset {
-		command = "git reset HEAD -- %s"
-	}
-
 	for _, name := range fileNames {
-		err := self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf(command, self.cmd.Quote(name))).Run()
+		var cmdStr string
+		if reset {
+			cmdStr = NewGitCmd("reset").Arg("HEAD", "--", self.cmd.Quote(name)).ToString()
+		} else {
+			cmdStr = NewGitCmd("rm").Arg("--cached", "--force", "--", self.cmd.Quote(name)).ToString()
+		}
+
+		err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -137,22 +143,31 @@ func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) DiscardAllFileChanges(file *models.File) error
 	quotedFileName := self.cmd.Quote(file.Name)
 
 	if file.ShortStatus == "AA" {
-		if err := self.cmd.New("git checkout --ours --  " + quotedFileName).Run(); err != nil {
+		if err := self.cmd.New(
+			NewGitCmd("checkout").Arg("--ours", "--", quotedFileName).ToString(),
+		).Run(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		if err := self.cmd.New("git add -- " + quotedFileName).Run(); err != nil {
+
+		if err := self.cmd.New(
+			NewGitCmd("add").Arg("--", quotedFileName).ToString(),
+		).Run(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		return nil
 	}
 
 	if file.ShortStatus == "DU" {
-		return self.cmd.New("git rm -- " + quotedFileName).Run()
+		return self.cmd.New(
+			NewGitCmd("rm").Arg("rm", "--", quotedFileName).ToString(),
+		).Run()
 	}
 
 	// if the file isn't tracked, we assume you want to delete it
 	if file.HasStagedChanges || file.HasMergeConflicts {
-		if err := self.cmd.New("git reset -- " + quotedFileName).Run(); err != nil {
+		if err := self.cmd.New(
+			NewGitCmd("reset").Arg("--", quotedFileName).ToString(),
+		).Run(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
@@ -184,7 +199,8 @@ func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) DiscardUnstagedDirChanges(node IFileNode) error
 	}
 
 	quotedPath := self.cmd.Quote(node.GetPath())
-	if err := self.cmd.New("git checkout -- " + quotedPath).Run(); err != nil {
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("checkout").Arg("--", quotedPath).ToString()
+	if err := self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -209,7 +225,8 @@ func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) RemoveUntrackedDirFiles(node IFileNode) error {
 // DiscardUnstagedFileChanges directly
 func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) DiscardUnstagedFileChanges(file *models.File) error {
 	quotedFileName := self.cmd.Quote(file.Name)
-	return self.cmd.New("git checkout -- " + quotedFileName).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("checkout").Arg("--", quotedFileName).ToString()
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 // Ignore adds a file to the gitignore for the repo
@@ -230,30 +247,28 @@ func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) WorktreeFileDiff(file *models.File, plain bool,
 }
 
 func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) WorktreeFileDiffCmdObj(node models.IFile, plain bool, cached bool, ignoreWhitespace bool) oscommands.ICmdObj {
-	cachedArg := ""
-	trackedArg := "--"
 	colorArg := self.UserConfig.Git.Paging.ColorArg
-	quotedPath := self.cmd.Quote(node.GetPath())
-	quotedPrevPath := ""
-	ignoreWhitespaceArg := ""
-	contextSize := self.UserConfig.Git.DiffContextSize
-	if cached {
-		cachedArg = " --cached"
-	}
-	if !node.GetIsTracked() && !node.GetHasStagedChanges() && !cached && node.GetIsFile() {
-		trackedArg = "--no-index -- /dev/null"
-	}
 	if plain {
 		colorArg = "never"
 	}
-	if ignoreWhitespace {
-		ignoreWhitespaceArg = " --ignore-all-space"
-	}
-	if prevPath := node.GetPreviousPath(); prevPath != "" {
-		quotedPrevPath = " " + self.cmd.Quote(prevPath)
-	}
 
-	cmdStr := fmt.Sprintf("git diff --submodule --no-ext-diff --unified=%d --color=%s%s%s %s %s%s", contextSize, colorArg, ignoreWhitespaceArg, cachedArg, trackedArg, quotedPath, quotedPrevPath)
+	contextSize := self.UserConfig.Git.DiffContextSize
+	prevPath := node.GetPreviousPath()
+	noIndex := !node.GetIsTracked() && !node.GetHasStagedChanges() && !cached && node.GetIsFile()
+
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("diff").
+		Arg("--submodule").
+		Arg("--no-ext-diff").
+		Arg(fmt.Sprintf("--unified=%d", contextSize)).
+		Arg(fmt.Sprintf("--color=%s", colorArg)).
+		ArgIf(ignoreWhitespace, "--ignore-all-space").
+		ArgIf(cached, "--cached").
+		ArgIf(noIndex, "--no-index").
+		Arg("--").
+		ArgIf(noIndex, "/dev/null").
+		Arg(self.cmd.Quote(node.GetPath())).
+		ArgIf(prevPath != "", self.cmd.Quote(prevPath)).
+		ToString()
 
 	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog()
 }
@@ -296,49 +311,59 @@ func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) ShowFileDiff(from string, to string, reverse bo
 func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) ShowFileDiffCmdObj(from string, to string, reverse bool, fileName string, plain bool,
 	ignoreWhitespace bool,
 ) oscommands.ICmdObj {
-	colorArg := self.UserConfig.Git.Paging.ColorArg
 	contextSize := self.UserConfig.Git.DiffContextSize
+
+	colorArg := self.UserConfig.Git.Paging.ColorArg
 	if plain {
 		colorArg = "never"
 	}
 
-	reverseFlag := ""
-	if reverse {
-		reverseFlag = " -R"
-	}
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("diff").
+		Arg("--submodule").
+		Arg("--no-ext-diff").
+		Arg(fmt.Sprintf("--unified=%d", contextSize)).
+		Arg("--no-renames").
+		Arg(fmt.Sprintf("--color=%s", colorArg)).
+		Arg(from).
+		Arg(to).
+		ArgIf(reverse, "-R").
+		ArgIf(ignoreWhitespace, "--ignore-all-space").
+		Arg("--").
+		Arg(self.cmd.Quote(fileName)).
+		ToString()
 
-	ignoreWhitespaceFlag := ""
-	if ignoreWhitespace {
-		ignoreWhitespaceFlag = " --ignore-all-space"
-	}
-
-	return self.cmd.
-		New(
-			fmt.Sprintf(
-				"git diff --submodule --no-ext-diff --unified=%d --no-renames --color=%s%s%s%s%s -- %s",
-				contextSize, colorArg, pad(from), pad(to), reverseFlag, ignoreWhitespaceFlag, self.cmd.Quote(fileName)),
-		).
-		DontLog()
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).DontLog()
 }
 
 // CheckoutFile checks out the file for the given commit
 func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) CheckoutFile(commitSha, fileName string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New(fmt.Sprintf("git checkout %s -- %s", commitSha, self.cmd.Quote(fileName))).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("checkout").Arg(commitSha, "--", self.cmd.Quote(fileName)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
-// DiscardAnyUnstagedFileChanges discards any unstages file changes via `git checkout -- .`
+// DiscardAnyUnstagedFileChanges discards any unstaged file changes via `git checkout -- .`
 func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) DiscardAnyUnstagedFileChanges() error {
-	return self.cmd.New("git checkout -- .").Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("checkout").Arg("--", ".").
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 // RemoveTrackedFiles will delete the given file(s) even if they are currently tracked
 func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) RemoveTrackedFiles(name string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New("git rm -r --cached -- " + self.cmd.Quote(name)).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("rm").Arg("-r", "--cached", "--", self.cmd.Quote(name)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 // RemoveUntrackedFiles runs `git clean -fd`
 func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) RemoveUntrackedFiles() error {
-	return self.cmd.New("git clean -fd").Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("clean").Arg("-fd").ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 // ResetAndClean removes all unstaged changes and removes all untracked files
@@ -363,23 +388,23 @@ func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) ResetAndClean() error {
 
 // ResetHardHead runs `git reset --hard`
 func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) ResetHard(ref string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New("git reset --hard " + self.cmd.Quote(ref)).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("reset").Arg("--hard", self.cmd.Quote(ref)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 // ResetSoft runs `git reset --soft HEAD`
 func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) ResetSoft(ref string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New("git reset --soft " + self.cmd.Quote(ref)).Run()
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("reset").Arg("--soft", self.cmd.Quote(ref)).
+		ToString()
+
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }
 
 func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) ResetMixed(ref string) error {
-	return self.cmd.New("git reset --mixed " + self.cmd.Quote(ref)).Run()
-}
+	cmdStr := NewGitCmd("reset").Arg("--mixed", self.cmd.Quote(ref)).
+		ToString()
 
-// so that we don't have unnecessary space in our commands we use this helper function to prepend spaces to args so that in the format string we can go '%s%s%s' and if any args are missing we won't have gaps.
-func pad(str string) string {
-	if str == "" {
-		return ""
-	}
-
-	return " " + str
+	return self.cmd.New(cmdStr).Run()
 }