Introduction to Version Control and Git for absolute beginners

1. Introduction to Version Control

What is Version Control?

Version control is a system that helps you manage changes to your files, especially code, over time. Imagine you're working on a programming project, and you want to keep track of the changes you make so you can go back to a previous version if something goes wrong. Version control systems (VCS) do just that! They record changes to a file or set of files, allowing you to revert to specific versions, compare different versions, and collaborate with others.

Benefits of Version Control

• Collaboration: Version control systems allow multiple people to work on a project simultaneously. You can track who made changes, when, and why. This is essential in team projects.
• History Tracking: Every change you make is recorded with a timestamp and a message explaining what was done. You can look back at the history of your project and see how it evolved.
• Rollback: If a mistake is made, you can easily revert to a previous version of the project without losing any work.
• Branching: You can create branches to work on different features or versions of your project without affecting the main codebase.

2. Introduction to Git

What is Git?

Git is a distributed version control system. This means that every developer working on a project has a complete copy of the project's history on their computer. Unlike centralized systems where all the history is stored on a single server, Git allows for more flexibility and reliability. You can work offline, and your changes can be shared with others when you're ready.

Basic Git Terminology

• Repository (Repo): A repository is like a storage box where all your project files and the complete history of changes are kept. It can be local (on your computer) or remote (on a platform like GitHub).
• Commit: A commit is a snapshot of your project at a particular point in time. It includes all the changes made since the last commit and is accompanied by a message explaining what was changed.
• Branch: A branch is a separate line of development in your project. It allows you to work on different features or versions of your project independently. The main branch is often called main or master.
• Merge: Merging is the process of combining changes from one branch into another. For example, once a new feature is complete, you might merge the feature branch into the main branch.
• Clone: Cloning means making a copy of a repository from a remote server to your local machine. This allows you to work on the project locally.
• Pull: Pulling means downloading the latest changes from a remote repository to your local repository.
• Push: Pushing means uploading your changes from your local repository to a remote repository, making them available to others.

3. Setting Up Git

Installing Git

To start using Git, you need to install it on your computer. Here's a quick guide for different operating systems:

• Windows:
1. Download the Git installer from git-scm.com.
2. Run the installer and follow the prompts. You can use the default settings.
3. Once installed, open the Git Bash terminal to start using Git.
• macOS:
1. Open the Terminal application.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

git --version

3. If Git is not installed, you'll be prompted to install it. Follow the instructions.
• Linux:
1. Open the terminal.
2. Install Git by running the following command:

sudo apt-get install git

3. Once installed, you can verify by typing:

git --version

Configuring Git

Before you start using Git, you need to set up your identity. This is important because every Git commit uses this information.

1. Open your terminal (or Git Bash on Windows).
2. Set your username with the following command:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"

3. Set your email address with this command:

git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"

Creating a Repository

To start a new project with Git:

1. Navigate to your project directory in the terminal:

cd path/to/your/project

2. Initialize a new Git repository:

git init

This creates a hidden .git folder in your project directory. Now, your project is under version control!

4. Basic Git Commands

Now that your project is set up, let's go over some basic Git commands.

1. git init

• Purpose: Initializes a new Git repository in your project directory.
• Usage: git init

2. git add

• Purpose: Adds changes to the staging area. The staging area is where you prepare your changes before committing them.
• Usage: git add filename

To add all changes:

git add .

3. git commit

• Purpose: Commits the changes in the staging area to the repository with a message.
• Usage:

git commit -m "Your commit message"

4. git status

• Purpose: Shows the status of changes in your working directory. It tells you which files are modified, staged, or untracked.
• Usage:

git status

5. git log

• Purpose: Displays the commit history for the repository. This is useful for reviewing past commits.
• Usage:

git log

6. git branch

• Purpose: Lists all branches in your repository or creates a new branch.
• Usage:
• To list all branches:

git branch

• To create a new branch:

git branch branch-name

7. git merge

• Purpose: Merges the changes from one branch into another.
• Usage:

git merge branch-name

8. git checkout

• Purpose: Switches to a different branch.
• Usage:

git checkout branch-name

With these basics, you're ready to start using Git to manage your projects and collaborate with others! Remember, practice makes perfect, so try these commands out on a small project to get comfortable with version control.