Git Basics

Introduction to Git

Git is a distributed version control system that helps developers track changes in their code and collaborate with others.

Key Concept: Git takes snapshots of your project called "commits" that you can revert to at any time.

Why use Git? It allows you to track changes, experiment with new features safely, and collaborate efficiently with teams.

Git vs GitHub

Git:

Version control system that runs locally on your machine

GitHub:

Cloud-based hosting service that uses Git for version control

This tutorial focuses on Git commands you can use locally before pushing to services like GitHub.

Essential Git Commands

Initialize a Repository

git init

Creates a new Git repository in your current directory.

Stage Changes

git add <file>
git add .

Prepares changes for commit (staging area).

Commit Changes

git commit -m "Your message"

Takes a snapshot of your staged changes with a descriptive message.

Check Status

git status

Shows which files are modified, staged, or untracked.

Git Workflow

Basic Workflow

1

Initialize or clone a repository

Start tracking your project or get a copy of an existing one
2

Create a branch for your changes

Keep your work isolated from the main codebase
3

Make changes and commit them

Stage and save your work with descriptive messages
4

Push your branch to the remote

Share your work with others
5

Create a pull/merge request

Propose your changes to be merged into the main branch

Branch Visualization

C1

main

C2

C3

F1

feature/login

F2

C4

Merge: feature/login → main

Best Practices

Commit often with meaningful messages
Create branches for new features or bug fixes
Pull changes frequently to stay up-to-date
Review changes before merging

Interactive Terminal

Try Git Commands

Type basic Git commands below to see simulated output:

Git Terminal

$ git init

Initialized empty Git repository in /projects/learn-git/.git/

$ git status

On branch main
No commits yet
nothing to commit (create/copy files and use "git add" to track)

$

Try these commands: git add ., git commit -m "message", git branch new-feature

Common Scenarios

Undo the last commit

Keep changes but undo the commit

Discard local changes

Revert files to last committed state

Resolve merge conflicts

What to do when Git can't auto-merge

Temporarily save changes

When you need to switch branches but aren't ready to commit

Git Cheat Sheet

Setup & Config

git config --global user.name "Your Name" Set your username
git config --global user.email "email@example.com" Set your email
git config --list View configuration

Inspection

git log Show commit history
git log --oneline Compact commit history
git diff Show unstaged changes

Undoing

git reset <file> Unstage a file
git checkout -- <file> Discard changes
git revert <commit> Create new commit that undoes a previous commit