Basic Git Workflow

What You’ll Learn 📚

• Core concepts of Git and version control
• Key terminology and definitions
• Step-by-step examples from simple to complex
• Common questions and troubleshooting tips

Introduction to Git

Git is a powerful version control system that helps you track changes in your code, collaborate with others, and manage your projects efficiently. Think of it as a time machine for your code! ⏳

Core Concepts

• Repository (Repo): A storage space where your project files and their history are kept.
• Commit: A snapshot of your project at a specific point in time.
• Branch: A separate line of development, allowing you to work on features without affecting the main codebase.
• Merge: Combining changes from different branches into one.

Simple Example: Creating a Repository

# Step 1: Create a new directory for your project
mkdir my-first-repo
cd my-first-repo

# Step 2: Initialize a new Git repository
git init

Progressively Complex Examples

Example 1: Making Your First Commit

# Step 1: Create a new file
echo 'Hello, Git!' > hello.txt

# Step 2: Add the file to the staging area
git add hello.txt

# Step 3: Commit the file to the repository
git commit -m 'Add hello.txt'

Example 2: Creating and Merging Branches

# Step 1: Create a new branch
git branch new-feature

# Step 2: Switch to the new branch
git checkout new-feature

# Step 3: Make changes and commit
echo 'New feature!' >> hello.txt
git commit -am 'Add new feature'

# Step 4: Switch back to main branch and merge
git checkout main
git merge new-feature

Example 3: Resolving Merge Conflicts

# Simulate a merge conflict
# Edit hello.txt in both branches differently
# Attempt to merge and resolve conflict
git merge new-feature
# Use a text editor to resolve conflicts in hello.txt
git add hello.txt
git commit -m 'Resolve merge conflict'

Common Questions and Answers

1. What is Git? Git is a distributed version control system that helps track changes in code.
2. Why use Git? It allows for collaboration, tracking changes, and managing project history efficiently.
3. How do I initialize a Git repository? Use git init in your project directory.
4. What is a commit? A commit is a snapshot of your project at a specific point in time.
5. How do I create a branch? Use git branch branch-name.
6. How do I switch branches? Use git checkout branch-name.
7. What is a merge conflict? It occurs when changes in different branches conflict during a merge.
8. How do I resolve a merge conflict? Manually edit the conflicting files, then commit the changes.
9. What is the staging area? It’s where changes are prepared for a commit.
10. How do I add changes to the staging area? Use git add file-name.
11. Can I undo a commit? Yes, using git revert or git reset.
12. What is a remote repository? A repository hosted on a server, like GitHub.
13. How do I push changes to a remote repository? Use git push.
14. How do I clone a repository? Use git clone repo-url.
15. What is a pull request? A request to merge changes from one branch to another, often used in collaboration.
16. How do I update my local repository with remote changes? Use git pull.
17. What is the difference between git pull and git fetch? git pull fetches and merges changes, while git fetch only fetches.
18. How do I view the commit history? Use git log.
19. How do I remove a file from the staging area? Use git reset file-name.
20. How do I rename a branch? Use git branch -m old-name new-name.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Always commit your changes before switching branches to avoid losing work.

If you encounter a merge conflict, don’t panic! Carefully read the conflict markers in your files and resolve them step by step.

Use git status frequently to check the status of your repository and understand what changes are staged, unstaged, or untracked.

Practice Exercises

• Create a new repository and make several commits with different messages.
• Create a branch, make changes, and merge it back into the main branch.
• Simulate a merge conflict and practice resolving it.

Remember, practice makes perfect! Keep experimenting with Git, and soon you’ll be a version control pro! 🌟

For more information, check out the official Git documentation.