10 basic Git commands that every beginner should know.
Before directly diving into the git commands, let's know what Git and GitHub are? Git is a popular version control system that helps developers manage and track changes to their code. In simple terms, it is basically a system to track changes in code. This is like who changes the code, which part of the code is changed, and when changes the code. And also it helps developers collaborate with others, and revert changes when necessary. On the other hand, GitHub is a web-based platform used for version control and collaboration on software development projects. It allows developers to store their code and collaborate with others to work on projects together.
As a beginner, here are the top 10 basic Git commands to know:
1. git init
: This command initializes a new Git repository in the current directory.
2. git add
: This command adds changes to the staging area. You can specify individual files or use .
to add all changes. git add <file name>
(for a specific file) or git add .
(for all files).
3. git commit
: This command commits changes to the repository. You can add a message with the`-m` flag, like this: git commit -m "Commit message"
.
4. git status
: This command shows the status of your repository, including which files have been modified and which are staged for commit.
5. git log
: This command shows the commit history of the repository, including who made each commit, when, and the commit message.
6. git checkout
: This command allows you to switch between branches or restore a file to a previous version. You can also use it to create a new branch.
1. git checkout -b <new_branch>
(creates a new branch if not exist and switches to a new branch)
2. git checkout <existed_branch>
(if the branch already exists)
7. git pull
: This command pulls changes from a remote repository into your local repository.
8. git push
: This command pushes changes from your local repository to a remote repository.
9. git branch
: This command shows the current branches in your repository. You can use it to create a new branch or delete an existing one.
10. git clone
: This command clones a remote repository onto your local machine.
Conclusion
Understanding Git and its basic commands is essential for anyone working on software development projects. With the help of these 10 basic Git commands, beginners can start managing their projects efficiently, collaborating with other team members, and tracking changes effectively. By mastering these commands, users can take full advantage of Git's features and streamline their workflow.
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Written by
Manas Ranjan Adha
Manas Ranjan Adha
I'm Manas Ranjan Adha, a undergrad from IIIT Allahabad in India with Bachelors of Technology in Information Technology. I am a Front-End Web developer with hands on experience building Web App with ReactJS. I have strong understanding of HTML, CSS and JavaScript fundamentals. I am also proficient in Data Structures and Algorithms.