Using Git with Bash

What You’ll Learn 📚

• Core concepts of Git and Bash
• Key terminology and definitions
• Simple and progressively complex examples
• Common questions and troubleshooting tips

Introduction to Git and Bash

Git is a powerful version control system that helps developers track changes in their code. Bash, on the other hand, is a command-line interface that allows you to interact with your computer’s operating system. Together, they form a dynamic duo for managing your projects efficiently.

Key Terminology

• Repository: A storage space where your project files and their history are kept.
• Commit: A snapshot of your project’s current state.
• Branch: A separate line of development within a repository.
• Merge: Combining changes from different branches.

Getting Started with Git and Bash

Let’s start with the simplest possible example: setting up a Git repository.

# Open your terminal and navigate to your project directory
cd /path/to/your/project

# Initialize a new Git repository
git init

💡 Lightbulb Moment: Think of a Git repository as a magical folder that remembers everything you do with your project files!

Example 2: Making Your First Commit

Now, let’s make our first commit. This is like taking a snapshot of your project’s current state.

# Create a new file
echo "Hello, Git!" > hello.txt

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

# Commit the file to the repository
git commit -m "Add hello.txt with a greeting"

Note: The commit message is crucial as it helps you and others understand what changes were made.

Example 3: Creating and Switching Branches

Branches allow you to work on different features or fixes without affecting the main project.

# Create a new branch called 'feature'
git branch feature

# Switch to the 'feature' branch
git checkout feature

Example 4: Merging Branches

Once you’ve completed work on a branch, you can merge it back into the main branch.

# Switch back to the main branch
git checkout master

# Merge the 'feature' branch into 'master'
git merge feature

Common Questions and Answers

1. What is the difference between git add and git commit?

   git add stages changes, preparing them for a commit, while git commit records those changes in the repository.

2. How do I undo a commit?

   You can use git reset to undo a commit. Be careful, as this can alter your commit history!

3. Why use branches?

   Branches allow you to work on features or fixes in isolation, preventing unfinished work from affecting the main project.

4. How do I resolve merge conflicts?

   Merge conflicts occur when changes in different branches overlap. You’ll need to manually edit the conflicting files to resolve them.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

⚠️ Warning: Always commit your changes before switching branches to avoid losing work!

• Problem: Git says ‘fatal: not a git repository’

  Solution: Make sure you’re inside a directory that has been initialized as a Git repository with git init.

• Problem: Merge conflicts

  Solution: Open the conflicting files, look for conflict markers (e.g., <<<<<<< HEAD), and decide which changes to keep.

Practice Exercises

1. Create a new repository and make a few commits. Try creating a branch and merging it back into the main branch.
2. Experiment with making changes and using git status to see what’s staged and what’s not.
3. Simulate a merge conflict and practice resolving it.

Remember, practice makes perfect! Keep experimenting and soon Git and Bash will feel like second nature. Happy coding! 😊