Simplified Explanation of GIT: A Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering Git
In the world of software development, version control is an essential tool for managing projects, and Git is one of the most popular systems. This article provides a beginner-friendly guide to some of the common Git commands and their logic.
Getting Started
To initiate a new Git repository, use the command . This creates a hidden folder in your project directory, setting it up for tracking changes from scratch. To create a local copy of an existing remote repository, use .
Understanding the Workflow
Git's workflow revolves around three main areas: the working directory, the staging area, and the commit history.
Committing means saving the staged changes as an updated version of your project. To commit these changes, use , where "message" is a brief description of the changes you've made.
Staging means adding changes into the git tracking area. To stage specific files, use . To stage all changes, use . To unstage some files, use . To check which files are in the staged area, use .
Branching Out
Branches enable isolated development streams. To list all branches and mark the current one, use . To create a new branch, you can use , , or .
To switch between branches, use . To merge changes from one branch into another, use .
Versioning and History
To see the commit history of the current branch, use . This shows commit IDs, authors, dates, and messages for understanding project evolution. To bring back deleted data, use the command to view all the events made in the last 30 days with their hash ids. To bring back a deleted commit, use . To bring back a deleted branch, use .
Conflicts and Merge Types
In a Non-Fast Forward merge, conflicts may occur when changes are made in both branches to the same file. In such cases, a commit for the merge operation is made and added as the last commit of the master branch. To resolve conflicts, use the Visual Studio Code interface to see the differences and decide what to do.
Advanced Techniques
The stash mechanism allows for saving changes that haven't been committed. To save changes, use . To take changes back, use . To take specific changes, use . To take changes back and delete them from the stash, use . To see what's in the stash area, use . To delete all stash, use . To delete a specific stash, use .
For more advanced techniques, commands like allow applying specific commits selectively across branches, and condenses all branch changes into a single commit for cleaner history.
Connecting to GitHub
To connect a local Git repository to a GitHub cloud repository, specific commands are required. These details are beyond the scope of this article but can be found in the GitHub documentation.
These commands collectively empower fine-grained version control, collaborative workflows, and systematic tracking of project evolution. With Git, you can confidently manage your projects, collaborate with others, and maintain a clear history of your work.
- Embrace the world of gadgets and technology as you navigate the beginner-friendly guide to Git commands, offering a systematic method to manage software projects effectively.
- When exploring Git's workflow, remember the fundamental areas: working directory, staging area, and commit history, where you commit changes to update your project, represented by a new version in the commit history.
