Developers guide: Git and day-to-day usage of git

Introduction:

Git is a version control system that allows software developers to track and manage changes to their codebase. It is an essential tool for any software development team, as it allows for collaboration, versioning, and rollback capabilities. In this article, we will discuss the basic usage of git and how it can be utilized in a daily workflow for junior software developers.

Cloning:

The first step in using git is to clone a repository. A repository is a collection of files and their associated changes, which are stored on a remote server. To clone a repository, you will need to have the URL of the repository and use the following command:

git clone [repository URL]

This will create a copy of the repository on your local machine, allowing you to make changes and track them using git.

Pulling:

After cloning a repository, you will often need to update your local copy with changes that have been made by other team members. This is done using the pull command:

git pull

This will retrieve any changes that have been made to the repository and apply them to your local copy.

Pushing:

After making changes to your local copy of the repository, you will need to push these changes back to the remote server. This is done using the push command:

git push

This will send your changes to the remote repository, where they can be reviewed and merged by other team members.

Branching:

In git, branches allow you to create separate copies of your codebase to work on new features or fixes without affecting the main codebase. To create a new branch, use the following command:

git branch [branch name]

To switch between branches, use the checkout command:

git checkout [branch name]

Logs:

To view the history of changes made to a repository, you can use the log command:

git log

This will display a list of all commits made to the repository, along with their associated messages and authors.

Conclusion:

Git is an essential tool for any software development team, allowing for collaboration, versioning, and rollback capabilities. By understanding the basic commands of cloning, pulling, pushing, branching, and logs, junior software developers can effectively utilize git in their daily workflow.