Git basics

Git - Version control system

Uses

• Tracking code changes
• Collaborating

Key Git Concepts

1. Repository - A folder where git tracks project and history

2. Clone(Verb!) - Make a copy of a remote repo

3. Stage (Verb!)- Tell git of changes to be saved next

4. Commit(Verb!)- Save a snapshot of staged changes

5. Tracked file - A file that git is watching for changes

Git Install

sudo pacman -Syu git

Git configuration

• Set username git config --global user.name "name"

• Set email git config --global user.email "email"

• Set default branch git config --global init.defaultBranch main (Set to main)

The configurations can also be local or system - git config --local - Applies to the local repo

• git config --system - Applies to all users and in all repos

Initialize git repo

git init

Common commands

• git status - Check which files are tracked( or not tracked?)
• git add <file> - Stage a file
• git add -A / git add --all - Stage all changes
• git restore --staged <file> - Unstage a file
• git commit -m "Message" - Commit staged changes with a message
• git commit -a -m "Message" - Commit all tracked changes skipping staging. (Does not work for new/untracked files)
• git log - See commit history
• git commit - Opens the configured editor for the comment.
• git commit --amend -m "Corrected message" - Correct a git commit message.
• git commit --amend - (After git add) - If forgotten to add a file before commit.
• git reset --soft HEAD~1 - Undo last commit and keep changes staged.

Best practices ( I intent to start following these)

• Keep the first line short( Mine are always short)
• Use the imperative mood ( "Add" instead of "Added") - I have been mixing these.
• Leave a blank line after the summary then add more details if needed. ( All my commit messages have been summaries thus far)
• Describe why the changes were made not just what changed.

Git Tagging ( First time I am using this git feature)

Git tag - A label or bookmark for a specific commit.

Commands

• git tag <tagname> - Create a lightweight tag.
• git tag -a <tagname> - Create annotated tag.
• git tag - List tags
• git show <tagname> - Show tag details
• git tag <tagname> <commit-hash> - Tag a specific commit

Annotated tag - Stores author, date and message
Lightweight tag - A simple name for a commit

Common tag types

• Releases - Mark when a project is ready for release
• Milestones - Highlight major milestones e.g. Big feature finished or a bug is fixed.
• Deployment - Used by some deployment tools ( I guess I'll find out this one "one day")

git push --tags - Push all tags
git tag -d <tagname> - Delete a tag locally
git push origin --delete tag <tagname> - Delete remote tag

Git Stash

Save uncommitted changes and return to a clean working directory. Changes can be restored later.