Learn Git and Github in 5 Minutes

Hey everyone and Coder Community. I am here again with another interesting article. This article majorly deals with more insightful info, helpful for beginners. Article focus more on git and its existence.

Disclaimer: This is not the cheat sheet, but it is everything you need to know.

Git vs GitHub

Just be sure that GIT != GITHUB

git - Simply, it can be used with in Local Machine. Git is a version control system used for tracking changes in files

github - It can be used in cloud, where contribution of work begins from different mindsets

git existence on Windows OS

Lets understand, what git actually is Do You Know? GIT was designed to run on only on UNIX based interfaces like BASH but not COMMAND PROMPT?

Well, if you are worried about UNIX, BASH, COMMAND PROMPT relation with GIT. Then this article is for you.

Lets get started

• GIT was designed to run on UNIX based interface (like BASH).
• BASH is a Command Line Interface which is used as default shell for LINUX & MAC based OS.
• But, Windows comes with default command line interface called COMMAND PROMPT.
• This COMMAND PROMPT CLI is not based on UNIX

Now, you might think of, how we can use GIT in Windows Here is what GIT BASH does.

• GIT BASH is a tool that emulates a BASH experience on a windows machine. So, in order to experience GIT on windows, we use GIT BASH

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git init

What is git init? The git init command creates a new Git repository. It can be used to convert an existing, un-versioned project to a Git repository or initialize a new, empty repository.

Well, one thing to be noted here is...

Do not init a REPO inside another REPO

Confused?. Lets understand why I am saying this.. Before running git init, make sure you run git status, to verify that you are not currently inside of a REPO

YES!, you can delete the REPO, if it was created by mistake

Best Advice Always, Create a Folder for the project and initialize in that folder (git init)

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git commit

AHAA...!, before working on git commit, we have to understand the workflow of GIT

Physical Locations - Terminology

1. Working Directory -> Referred as working project folder
2. Staging Area -> Adding changes to a location, before we commit
3. Repository-> Refers to Git Repository

Workflow

Here is how the entire workflow looks like

• Stage your changes from Working Directory to Staging Area

  git add file1 file2
  

• Verify whether changes are Staged or not i.e. Staging Area

  git status
  

• Commit your changes from Staging Area to Repository

  git commit -m “Type message here”
  

Why not git commit alone

In reality, we can also use git commit, but anyways it prompts for commit message in Text Editor (as configured)

Running git commit will commit all staged changes. It also opens up a text editor(by default vim) and prompts you for a commit message.

it's better to use git commit -m "message", to make things easier.

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SETUP git

Know your Version

Open GIT BASH - Know the version of GIT on Local System

git --version 

Know your GIT Configuration Values

git config --list

Add Configuration Values

git config --global user.name “Prathap Reddy”
git config --global user.email “prathapsayz@gmail.com"

Tip: - Add Git Bash as default terminal in VS CODE, to work on directly.

Terminal Commands

Let's understand Terminal Commands

• ls -> List contents of current directory
• start . -> Opens the window of current directory
• ls foldername -> list contents inside that folder
• ls foldername/subfolder -> list contents inside the subfolder (we cant access subfolder contents, without using path.
• pwd -> Print the path of current directory
• cd foldername -> Change the current directory. So called moving from one folder to another folder
• cd .. -> Go back from Current Directory to Previous Folder (1 Level)
• touch filename.extension -> Creates a new files of any extension in the directory
• touch folder/subfolder/filename.extension -> Create file using folder referencing
• mkdir foldername -> create a folder in current directory
• mkdir folder1 folder2 -> Creates two folders in current directory
• rm filename.ext -> Deletes the file. It permanently removes.
• rm -rf foldername -> Deletes the folder, permanently (RF – Recursive Force)
• code . -> Opens entire directory in Text Editor (VS code)
• git add .-> add all files/content to staging area
• git log -> shows the history of commits

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Get help with git help

Open GIT BASH and enter following command.

 git help

Common Git commands

start a working area (see also: git help tutorial)
   clone     Clone a repository into a new directory
   init      Create an empty Git repository or reinitialize an existing one

work on the current change (see also: git help everyday)
   add       Add file contents to the index
   mv        Move or rename a file, a directory, or a symlink
   restore   Restore working tree files
   rm        Remove files from the working tree and from the index

examine the history and state (see also: git help revisions)
   bisect    Use binary search to find the commit that introduced a bug
   diff      Show changes between commits, commit and working tree, etc
   grep      Print lines matching a pattern
   log       Show commit logs
   show      Show various types of objects
   status    Show the working tree status

grow, mark and tweak your common history
   branch    List, create, or delete branches
   commit    Record changes to the repository
   merge     Join two or more development histories together
   rebase    Reapply commits on top of another base tip
   reset     Reset current HEAD to the specified state
   switch    Switch branches
   tag       Create, list, delete or verify a tag object signed with GPG

collaborate (see also: git help workflows)
   fetch     Download objects and refs from another repository
   pull      Fetch from and integrate with another repository or a local branch
   push      Update remote refs along with associated objects

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That's all for this Article, I hope this article helped you on basics. Go on, dig for more concepts. Happy Learning :)