Git Complete Tutorial: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Git is a distributed version control system that helps developers track changes in their code, collaborate with others, and manage software projects efficiently. Whether you are a beginner or just brushing up on your skills, this tutorial will walk you through everything you need to know to master Git. Table of Contents What is Git? Installing Git Initial Configuration Creating and Cloning Repositories Basic Git Workflow Branching and Merging Working with Remote Repositories Undoing Changes Using .gitignore Advanced Git Commands Git GUI Tools Conclusion What is Git? Git is a version control system used for tracking changes in source code during software development. It allows multiple developers to work on a project simultaneously, without overwriting each other's work. Installing Git Windows / macOS / Linux: Download and install Git from git-scm.com. Verify installation: git --version Initial Configuration Set your identity: git config --global user.name "Your Name" git config --global user.email "you@example.com" View your configuration: git config --list Creating and Cloning Repositories Create a new local repository: mkdir my-project cd my-project git init Clone an existing repository: git clone https://github.com/username/repo-name.git Basic Git Workflow Check status: git status Stage files: git add filename # Add specific file git add . # Add all changes Commit changes: git commit -m "Meaningful commit message" View commit history: git log git log --oneline Branching and Merging Create a new branch: git branch new-branch Switch to a branch: git checkout new-branch Create and switch in one step: git checkout -b new-branch Merge a branch: git checkout main git merge new-branch Delete a branch: git branch -d new-branch Working with Remote Repositories Add remote: git remote add origin https://github.com/username/repo.git Push changes: git push -u origin branch-name Pull changes: git pull origin branch-name Undoing Changes Unstage a file: git reset filename Undo last commit (keep changes): git reset --soft HEAD~1 Discard all local changes: git checkout -- . Using .gitignore Create a .gitignore file to exclude files/folders from version control: node_modules/ .env dist/ *.log Advanced Git Commands Stash changes: git stash Apply stashed changes: git stash apply Rebase: git rebase branch-name Cherry-pick a commit: git cherry-pick commit-id Git GUI Tools GitHub Desktop Sourcetree GitKraken VS Code Source Control Panel Conclusion Git is an essential tool for modern software development. With this step-by-step guide, you can start using Git confidently for your projects. Keep practicing, explore advanced commands, and soon you'll be managing branches, resolving merge conflicts, and collaborating like a pro. Happy coding!

git --version

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"

git config --list

mkdir my-project
cd my-project
git init

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

git status

git add filename     # Add specific file
git add .            # Add all changes

git commit -m "Meaningful commit message"

git log
git log --oneline

git branch new-branch

git checkout new-branch

git checkout -b new-branch

git checkout main
git merge new-branch

git branch -d new-branch

git remote add origin https://github.com/username/repo.git

git push -u origin branch-name

git pull origin branch-name

git reset filename

git reset --soft HEAD~1

git checkout -- .

node_modules/
.env
dist/
*.log

git stash

git stash apply

git rebase branch-name

git cherry-pick commit-id