Tooling & Workflow: How to use Git and GitHub

This guide is designed to help you become a master at using Git and GitHub, essential tools for any modern software developer. By the end of this guide, you will have a strong understanding of version control, how to manage your projects with Git, and how to collaborate effectively using GitHub.

Introduction to Version Control

Version control is a system that records changes to a file or set of files over time so that you can recall specific versions later. Git is a distributed version control system that allows multiple developers to work on a project simultaneously without interfering with each other.

Setting Up Git

To start using Git, you need to install it and configure some basic settings.

Install Git

Download and install Git from git-scm.com.

Configure Git

After installation, configure your Git settings:

Basic Git Commands

Initializing a Repository To create a new Git repository:

git init

Cloning a Repository

To clone an existing repository:

git clone https://github.com/username/repo.git

Checking the Status

To check the status of your repository:

git status

Adding Changes

To add changes to the staging area:

git add filename
# or to add all changes
git add .

Committing Changes

To commit changes with a message:

git commit -m "Your commit message"

Viewing Commit History

To view the commit history:

git log

Advanced Git Commands

Branching

To create a new branch:

git branch new-branch

To switch to a branch:

git checkout new-branch

To create and switch to a new branch:

git checkout -b new-branch

Merging

To merge a branch into the current branch:

git merge branch-name

Rebasing

To rebase your branch:

git rebase branch-name

Stashing

To stash your changes:

git stash

To apply stashed changes:

git stash apply

Using GitHub

Creating a Repository

1. Go to GitHub.
2. Click on the New button to create a new repository.
3. Initialize the repository with a README if desired.

Pushing Changes to GitHub

To push your changes to a GitHub repository:

git remote add origin https://github.com/username/repo.git
git push -u origin master

Pulling Changes from GitHub

To pull changes from a GitHub repository:

git pull origin master

Collaborating with Others

Forking a Repository

1. Go to the repository on GitHub.
2. Click the Fork button to create a copy of the repository under your GitHub account.

Creating a Pull Request

1. Make your changes in a new branch.
2. Push your changes to GitHub.
3. Go to the original repository on GitHub.
4. Click the New Pull Request button and follow the instructions.

References

FAQs