Git is a widely used version control system that allows you to track changes in a project's source code. Learning Git may seem like a challenging task initially, but with a progressive approach, you can gain skills gradually. This introductory guide will take you through the basic steps to becoming proficient with Git, step by step.
Level 1: Basic Concepts
Installation
Start by installing Git on your system. You can download the latest version from the official website (https://git-scm.com/). Follow the installation instructions for your operating system.
Initial configuration
After installation, configure your username and email address using the following commands:
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your@email.com"
Creating a repository
Create your first Git repository using the command:
git init
Adding and committing files
Add files to the repository using:
git add filename
And commit the changes with:
git commit -m "Description/message"
Level 2: Working with Branch
Creating Branch
Start working with branches to separate the development of new features or bug fixes. Create a new branch with:
git branch branchname
Change of Branch
Switch between branches with:
git checkout branchname
Branch Merge
Combine changes from one branch to another using merge:
git checkout branch-target
git merge branch-source
Level 3: Collaboration and Remote
Collaboration
Learn to collaborate with other developers using remote repositories. Connect your local repository to a remote repository:
git remote add origin remote-url
Pull and Push
Download changes from remote repository with:
git pull origin branchname
And push your changes to the remote repository with:
git push origin branchname
Level 4: Conflict Resolution
Conflicts
Address conflicts during merge by manually resolving them in the affected files.
Resolution Tools
Learn conflict resolution tools like git mergetool or resolve conflicts manually using a text editor.
Level 5: Advanced Tools
Reset and Revert
Learn to use git reset to restore the state of the repository and git revert to create a new commit that reverts the changes of a previous commit.
Stash
Learn to use git stash to temporarily save uncommitted changes before moving on to another task.
Level 6: Git Subsystems
Git Submodules
Explore using Git submodules to manage project dependencies.
Git Hooks
Discover Git Hooks to automate specific actions before or after certain Git events.
Conclusion
By following this progressive guide, you will have gained a solid understanding of Git, from managing local repositories to collaborating on complex projects. Practice regularly and you'll soon be an expert at version control with Git. Good work!