Git for Beginners

This tutorial introduces the basic concepts of Git, a version control system used for tracking changes in software development.

What is Git?

Git is a distributed version control system that allows multiple developers to work on a project simultaneously. It tracks changes to files, enables collaboration, and makes it easy to revert changes when needed.

Git Basics

Installing Git

To check if Git is already installed, open a terminal and run:

$ git --version

If Git is not installed, follow these instructions based on your operating system:

  • Linux: Use the package manager (e.g., apt, dnf, or yum).

$ sudo apt install git

  • macOS: Install Git using Homebrew:

$ brew install git

  • Windows: Download and install Git from the official Git website: git-scm.com

Configuring Git

Before you start using Git, you need to configure your user information. This information will be used in your commits.

$ git config --global user.name "Your Name"
$ git config --global user.email "you@example.com"

To check your configuration:

$ git config --list

Creating a Repository

A Git repository is where Git stores all the files, changes, and history of your project.

To create a new Git repository:

$ mkdir my-project
$ cd my-project
$ git init

This initializes a new Git repository in your project directory.

Cloning a Repository

If you want to work on an existing Git project, you can clone a repository:

$ git clone https://github.com/user/repo.git

This command copies the project from the remote repository to your local machine.

Checking the Status of Your Repository

To check the current status of your working directory and staged changes:

$ git status

This will show which files have been modified, staged, or committed.

Staging Changes

After making changes to your files, you need to stage them for commit. To stage a specific file:

$ git add <file-name>

To stage all changes at once:

$ git add .

Committing Changes

Once your changes are staged, you can commit them to the repository:

$ git commit -m "Commit message describing the changes"

The -m option allows you to add a short message describing your changes.

Viewing the Commit History

To view the commit history of your repository:

$ git log

This will display a list of commits with details like the commit hash, author, and message.

For a compact view of the commit history:

$ git log --oneline

Undoing Changes

To discard changes to a file:

$ git checkout -- <file-name>

To unstage a file (move it out of the staging area):

$ git reset <file-name>

To reset your last commit (without losing your changes):

$ git reset --soft HEAD~1

Pushing Changes to a Remote Repository

To push your local commits to a remote repository:

$ git push origin <branch-name>

This sends your changes to the remote repository (e.g., GitHub or GitLab).

Pulling Changes from a Remote Repository

To fetch and merge changes from a remote repository:

$ git pull origin <branch-name>

This updates your local branch with any new commits from the remote branch.

Summary

This tutorial covers the basic Git commands for working with a repository. Understanding these core concepts will help you collaborate more effectively and manage your project’s version history.

Continue learning by exploring advanced Git features such as branching strategies, rebasing, and resolving merge conflicts.