Introduction to Git

Introduction to Git

• Git is a distributed version control system crucial for tracking changes in files over time, enabling collaborative work and efficient version reverting.
• Its crucial role in software development stems from its ability to handle multiple people working concurrently on a project.
• Git stores snapshots ("commits") of the project's state, not just change lists, optimizing branching and merging.
• A repository ("repo") is the central storage for the project's files and commit history.

Key Git Concepts

• Repository (repo): A central storage location for project files and commit history.
• Commit: A snapshot of the project at a particular point in time, accompanied by a descriptive message.
• Branch: A separate line of development that can be merged later into the main branch.
• Staging Area: An intermediate area where changes are prepared for commit.
• Working Directory: The directory where the current version of project files resides.

Git Commands

• git init: Initializes a new Git repository.
• git clone <repository URL>: Creates a local copy of a remote repository.
• git add <file>: Stages changes for the next commit. git add . stages all changes in the current directory.
• git commit -m "Commit message": Records changes with a message.
• git status: Displays the state of the repository (tracked/untracked files, etc.).
• git log: Shows the commit history. git log --oneline is a summarized view; git log --graph visualizes branches.
• git branch: Manages branches. git branch <branch_name> creates a new branch. git checkout <branch_name> switches to a branch.
• git merge <branch_name>: Merges changes from a branch into the current one.
• git push <remote name> <branch name>: Uploads local commits to a remote repository. Example: git push origin main.
• git pull <remote name> <branch name>: Downloads commits from a remote repository. Example: git pull origin main.
• git fetch origin: Downloads commits from a remote, but does not merge.
• git remote add origin <repository URL>: Adds a remote repository. origin is the common name, but any name will work.

GitLab

• GitLab is a web-based Git repository manager with integrated applications like CI/CD, project management, and issue tracking.
• Projects use a repository structure, offering features similar to GitHub for collaboration and code management, but with integrated CI/CD capabilities.
• Projects often include wikis and issues for task and communication management.
• The unified platform simplifies management of all repository aspects.

GitHub

• GitHub is a web-based platform hosting Git repositories, supporting features such as issue tracking, code review, and collaborative development.
• It's widely used for sharing and managing code, and supports public & private repositories for collaboration.
• Tools like pull requests simplify code review and merging.
• GitHub prioritizes hosting and managing Git repositories in a cloud-based environment.

Git, GitHub, and GitLab Interconnection

• Git is the local version control system; GitLab and GitHub are remote repository systems.
• Git commands manage your local repository, while git push and git pull connect it to remote repositories.
• Cloning a repository creates a local copy for working offline.

Basic Git Workflow

• Create a new repository with git init.
• Create a new branch with git branch <branch name>.
• Switch to the new branch with git checkout <branch name>.
• Make changes to your files.
• Stage the changes with git add ..
• Commit the changes with git commit -m "your commit message".
• Push the changes to the remote repository with git push <remote_name> <branch_name>.