Git Basics & Configuration

Setting up Git for team collaboration

Overview

Git is a distributed version control system that tracks changes in source code during software development. This guide covers essential Git commands and configuration for team collaboration.

Getting Help

bash

# General help
git help

# Help for specific command
git help <command>
git <command> --help
git help -g     # Guide

# Quick reference
git help -a     # List all commands

Initial Configuration

User Identity

Every commit needs to identify the author. Configure this once:

bash

# Set your name
git config --global user.name "Your Name"

# Set your email (use your work email for team projects)
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"

# Set different email for specific repositories
cd /path/to/repo
git config user.email "personal@email.com"

Default Branch Name

Modern Git uses main as the default branch:

bash

# Check default branch
git config --global init.defaultBranch

# Set to main
git config --global init.defaultBranch main

Editor Configuration

Choose your default editor for commit messages:

bash

# VS Code
git config --global core.editor "code --wait"

# Vim
git config --global core.editor "vim"

# Notepad++ (Windows)
git config --global core.editor "'C:/Program Files/Notepad++/notepad++.exe' -multiInst -notabbar -nosession -noPlugin"

# Sublime Text
git config --global core.editor "'subl' -n -w"

Line Endings

Prevent line ending issues across platforms:

bash

# Windows - convert to CRLF on checkout, LF on commit
git config --global core.autocrlf true

# Mac/Linux - convert to LF on commit
git config --global core.autocrlf input

Useful Aliases

Save time with command shortcuts:

bash

# Common aliases
git config --global alias.co checkout
git config --global alias.br branch
git config --global alias.ci commit
git config --global alias.st status
git config --global alias.unstage 'reset HEAD --'
git config --global alias.last 'log -1 HEAD'
git config --global alias.visual 'log --graph --oneline --all'

# More useful aliases
git config --global alias Amend 'commit --amend --no-edit'
git config --global alias.commits 'log --oneline --graph --decorate'
git config --global alias.untracked 'ls-files --others --exclude-standard'

View Configuration

bash

# List all configuration
git config --list

# Show specific config
git config user.name

# Show configuration file locations
git config --list --show-origin

# System-wide config
git config --system --list

# Global (user) config
git config --global --list

# Local (repository) config
git config --local --list

Essential Commands

Repository Operations

bash

# Initialize new repository
git init

# Clone existing repository
git clone <url>
git clone <url> <directory>      # Clone into specific directory
git clone --depth 1 <url>         # Shallow clone (latest commit only)

# Check repository status
git status
git status -s                     # Short format
git status --ignored              # Show ignored files

Staging Changes

bash

# Stage specific file
git add <file>

# Stage multiple files
git add <file1> <file2>

# Stage all changes
git add .
git add -A                        # Include deletions
git add -u                        # Only update tracked files

# Stage with patch (interactive)
git add -p                        # Stage parts of files
git add -i                        # Interactive staging

# Unstage files
git reset HEAD <file>
git restore --staged <file>       # Git 2.23+

Committing Changes

bash

# Commit with message
git commit -m "message"

# Commit staged changes (skip staging)
git commit -am "message"

# Amend last commit (use carefully!)
git commit --amend                # Edit message
git commit --amend --no-edit      # Keep message

# Empty commit (useful for CI triggers)
git commit --allow-empty -m "trigger CI"

# Commit with author info
git commit -m "message" --author="Name <email>"

Viewing History

bash

# Show commit history
git log
git log --oneline                 # Concise format
git log --graph                   # ASCII graph
git log --decorate                # Show refs

# Limit output
git log -n 5                      # Last 5 commits
git log --since="2 weeks ago"
git log --until="2025-01-01"

# View specific commit
git show <commit>
git show HEAD                     # Latest commit
git show HEAD~2                   # Two commits back

# View changes
git diff                         # Working vs staging
git diff --staged                # Staging vs repository
git diff HEAD                    # Working vs repository
git diff <commit1> <commit2>     # Compare commits

Branching Basics

bash

# List branches
git branch
git branch -r                     # Remote branches
git branch -a                     # All branches

# Create branch
git branch <name>

# Switch branches
git switch <name>                 # Git 2.23+ (recommended)
git checkout <name>               # Legacy method

# Create and switch
git switch -c <name>              # Git 2.23+ (recommended)
git checkout -b <name>            # Legacy method

# Rename branch
git branch -m <old> <new>

# Delete branch
git branch -d <name>              # Safe delete (merged)
git branch -D <name>              # Force delete

File Operations

Removing Files

bash

# Remove from working directory and Git
git rm <file>

# Remove from Git only (keep file)
git rm --cached <file>

# Remove directories
git rm -r <directory>

Moving/Renaming Files

bash

# Rename file
git mv <old> <new>

# Git tracks this as rename + file change

Ignoring Files

Create .gitignore in repository root:

bash

# Common patterns
*.log                              # All log files
build/                             # Build directory
node_modules/                      # Node dependencies
.DS_Store                          # macOS files
*.swp                              # Vim swap files

# Personal ignores
git config --global core.excludesfile ~/.gitignore_global

Viewing File Content

bash

# Show file at specific commit
git show <commit>:<file>

# Restore file from previous commit
git restore --source=<commit> <file>  # Git 2.23+ (recommended)
git checkout <commit> -- <file>       # Legacy method

# Blame (show who changed each line)
git blame <file>
git blame -L 10,20 <file>          # Lines 10-20

Undoing Changes

Working Directory

bash

# Restore file to last committed state
git restore <file>                 # Git 2.23+ (recommended)
git checkout -- <file>              # Legacy method

# Restore all files
git restore .                      # Git 2.23+ (recommended)
git checkout -- .                  # Legacy method

Staging Area

bash

# Unstage file
git restore --staged <file>
git reset HEAD <file>              # Traditional method

# Unstage all
git restore --staged .
git reset HEAD                     # Traditional method

Commits

bash

# Undo last commit (keep changes)
git reset --soft HEAD~1

# Undo last commit and staging
git reset --mixed HEAD~1
git reset HEAD~1                   # Default

# Undo last commit (discard changes!)
git reset --hard HEAD~1

# Revert commit (create new commit)
git revert <commit>

Remote Operations

bash

# Show remotes
git remote -v

# Add remote
git remote add <name> <url>

# Remove remote
git remote remove <name>

# Fetch changes
git fetch origin                   # Fetch all branches
git fetch origin main              # Fetch specific branch

# Pull changes
git pull                           # Fetch + merge
git pull --rebase                  # Fetch + rebase

# Push changes
git push origin main               # Push to main
git push -u origin feature         # Push and set upstream
git push --all origin              # Push all branches
git push --tags                    # Push tags
git push --force                   # Force push (use carefully!)
git push --force-with-lease        # Safer force push

Stashing Changes

Save work in progress temporarily:

bash

# Stash changes
git stash

# Stash with message
git stash push -m "work in progress"

# Stash including untracked files
git stash -u

# Stash all files (including ignored)
git stash -a

# List stashes
git stash list

# Apply stash
git stash pop                      # Apply and remove
git stash apply                    # Apply only

# Apply specific stash
git stash apply stash@{2}

# Drop stash
git stash drop
git stash drop stash@{2}

# Clear all stashes
git stash clear

Searching

bash

# Search in code
git grep "pattern"
git grep -n "pattern"              # With line numbers
git grep --count "pattern"         # Count matches

# Search in commits
git log --grep "pattern"           # Search messages
git log --author="John"            # Search by author
git log --since="1 month" --grep="fix"

Team Configuration Best Practices

For Team Projects

Use consistent identity

bash

git config --global user.name "Team Member Name"
git config --global user.email "team@company.com"

Set up useful aliases

bash

git config --global alias.lg "log --graph --oneline --all"

Configure rebase for pull
bash
```
git config --global pull.rebase true
```
1

Set up merge tools

bash

git config --global merge.tool vscode
git config --global mergetool.vscode.cmd 'code --wait $MERGED'

Configure GPG signing (optional)

bash

git config --global commit.gpgsign true
git config --global gpg.program gpg2

Checking Your Configuration

bash

# Show all settings
git config --list

# Show specific setting
git config user.name

# Show where settings come from
git config --list --show-origin

# Verify Git version
git --version

Quick Reference Card

Command	Description
`git init`	Initialize repository
`git clone <url>`	Clone repository
`git status`	Check status
`git add <file>`	Stage file
`git commit -m "msg"`	Commit changes
`git log --oneline`	Show history
`git branch`	List branches
`git switch -c <name>`	Create & switch branch (recommended)
`git merge <branch>`	Merge branch
`git pull`	Pull changes
`git push`	Push changes
`git restore <file>`	Restore file (recommended)

External Resources

Official Git Cheat Sheet

Official Git Reference

Need a quick command reminder? Check out the Official Git Cheat Sheet from git-scm.com for a comprehensive command reference.

Other Useful Resources

Git Documentation - Complete Git manual
Git Book - Pro Git book (free online)
Git Glossary - Git terminology reference

Next Steps

Understanding Git Areas - Learn how Git manages files
Branching Strategies - Team workflows
Remote Operations - Working with remotes

Git Basics & Configuration ​

Overview ​

Getting Help ​

Initial Configuration ​

User Identity ​

Default Branch Name ​

Editor Configuration ​

Line Endings ​

Useful Aliases ​

View Configuration ​

Essential Commands ​

Repository Operations ​

Staging Changes ​

Committing Changes ​

Viewing History ​

Branching Basics ​

File Operations ​

Removing Files ​

Moving/Renaming Files ​

Ignoring Files ​

Viewing File Content ​

Undoing Changes ​

Working Directory ​

Staging Area ​

Commits ​

Remote Operations ​

Stashing Changes ​

Searching ​

Team Configuration Best Practices ​

For Team Projects ​

Checking Your Configuration ​

Quick Reference Card ​

External Resources ​

Official Git Cheat Sheet ​

Other Useful Resources ​

Next Steps ​

Git Basics & Configuration

Overview

Getting Help

Initial Configuration

User Identity

Default Branch Name

Editor Configuration

Line Endings

Useful Aliases

View Configuration

Essential Commands

Repository Operations

Staging Changes

Committing Changes

Viewing History

Branching Basics

File Operations

Removing Files

Moving/Renaming Files

Ignoring Files

Viewing File Content

Undoing Changes

Working Directory

Staging Area

Commits

Remote Operations

Stashing Changes

Searching

Team Configuration Best Practices

For Team Projects

Checking Your Configuration

Quick Reference Card

External Resources

Official Git Cheat Sheet

Other Useful Resources

Next Steps