Git Beginner's Guide: Basics & Commands

What is Git
Why Git is Used
Git Basics and Core Terminologies
Common Git Commands

Understand GIT and its Uses

Git is a version control system that manages operations like modifications, updates, changes, removals, history, and many more in a specific folder, repository, or directory. ( Folder , Repository and Directory are having same meaning )

What are the Terminologies used inside Git ?

Repo - It's like a folder where your files are stored.
Staging Area - When you update your files and want Git to track them, you move the specific file to the staging area.
Commit - When you are ready to save the updated changes of a particular file, you first need to commit that file, and it will then be added to your repository.
Branch - It's like different timelines existing together but not affecting each other.
Merge - When you want to bring content from a different timeline (Branch) into your timeline (Your Branch), you need to merge it.
Head - It's like a marker or pointer that shows your current location, position, or what you are currently working on.
Commit History - It's like a record of everything you have done in your file, including updates, removals, additions, merges, modifications and many more.

Common Git Commands

git init -Turn your folder into a Git repository by initializing a .git file inside it.
git add <your fileName> - Will place your file in the staging area, making it trackable.
git add . - Will move all the files in the working folder to the staging area, no need to mention specific names of the files.
git commit -m “Your message” - This will save your final changes to the repository.
git commit -am “Your mesage” - This is a very important command to know. It first pushes the files into the staging area and then commits them with a message. The "Cache"is that this command only pushes files into the staging area if they are already being tracked by Git. So, if you create a new file and run this command, it won't push the new file into the staging area. However, if you have modified files, it will work on those.
git branch - Shows you which branch (timeline) you are currently on.
git status - This command will show you the status of your files, such as which ones are tracked, untracked, or modified.
git log - Provides the complete history of your files and the operations you have performed so far.
git revert <hashId> -Will make a complementary commit for the changes that happened in the mentioned <hashId> and won't remove the history.
git reset —hard <commitId> - This is similar to revert, but here no complementary commit is created. It simply removes all the history and takes you to the specified <commitId>.