Git Gopher

Basics

Git Introduction

Introduction to Git Version Control

Git is a distributed version control system for tracking code changes.

What is Git?

Git is a powerful, distributed version control system designed to handle everything from small to very large projects with speed and efficiency. It allows multiple developers to work simultaneously on a codebase without overwriting each other's changes.

Unlike centralized version control systems, Git is distributed, meaning every developer has a full copy of the project history on their local machine. This setup enhances collaboration and provides a backup in case of server failure.

Why Use Git?

Using Git provides several advantages:

  • Collaboration: Multiple developers can work on the same project simultaneously.
  • Branching: Create branches to work on features or fixes separately from the main codebase.
  • Tracking Changes: Git tracks changes, allowing you to see who made what changes and when.
  • Backup: Each developer's local repository acts as a backup of the project.

Basic Git Workflow

The typical Git workflow involves the following steps:

  1. Clone: Clone a repository to your local machine.
  2. Edit: Make changes to the code on your local machine.
  3. Stage: Add the changes to a staging area.
  4. Commit: Commit the changes to your local repository with a descriptive message.
  5. Push: Push your changes to the remote repository.

Cloning a Repository

Cloning a repository means creating a local copy of it on your machine. This is the first step in any Git workflow. Use the following command to clone a repository:

Making Changes and Committing

Once you have cloned a repository, you can start making changes. After editing files, you need to stage your changes and commit them with a message that explains why the change was made:

Pushing Changes

After committing your changes locally, you need to push them to the remote repository to share with others:

Understanding Git Branches

Branches in Git are pointers to a specific commit in the history. They are used to develop features, fix bugs, or safely experiment with new ideas in isolation from the main codebase. Here's how you can create and switch branches:

To merge changes from one branch into another, use the git merge command:

Basics

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