Git is the most widely used version control system in software development. Learning Git basics early in your programming journey prevents lost work and enables collaboration.
Think of Git as an unlimited undo system for your code. Every time you make a commit, Git saves a snapshot of your entire project that you can return to at any time. This safety net encourages experimentation.
The basic Git workflow involves three stages: modifying files in your working directory, staging changes you want to save, and committing those staged changes with a descriptive message. This three-step process becomes second nature quickly.
Branches allow you to work on new features without affecting the main codebase. Create a branch, make your changes, test them, and merge back into the main branch when everything works. If something goes wrong, the main branch remains untouched.
GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket are platforms that host Git repositories online. They add collaboration features like pull requests, issue tracking, and code review that make team development manageable.
Commit messages should explain why a change was made, not what was changed. The code itself shows what changed, but future you and your collaborators need to understand the reasoning behind decisions.
Practice Git with a real project rather than artificial exercises. Even a personal project benefits from version control, and the habits you build transfer directly to professional development environments.
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