====== Git Basics ======

===== Clarification =====
<WRAP center round tip b60%>
**Git** ≠ **GitHub**
</WRAP>

There are many Git repository hosting services, and [[https://github.com/|GitHub]] wasn't even the first. Some popular alternatives are [[https://gitlab.com/|GitLab]] and [[https://bitbucket.org|Bitbucket]]. But there are many others. Also, Git is not the only VCS in use today. It was originally created independently of any company to support the development of the Linux operating system. It was later adopted by a number of developers of open-source software for their projects before eventually becoming the de-facto standard VCS it is today for both open-source and proprietary projects.

===== Basic operations =====
  * Create a git repository in the current directory: <code bash>git init</code>
  * Create a new directory with a git repository in it: <code bash>git init directory-name</code>
  * Stage a changed file or a new file for the next commit: <code bash>git add filename</code>
  * Stage //all// changed and new files for the next commit: <code bash>git add .</code>
  * Unstage a file you have staged for the next commit: <code bash>git rm --cached filename</code>
  * Commit the staged files: <code bash>git commit -m "A message about this commit."</code>
  * Get status of repository: <code bash>git status</code>
  * Get history of repository: <code bash>git log</code>
  * Delete a file: <code bash>git rm filename</code>
  * Rename or move a file: <code bash>git mv source destination</code>

<WRAP center round tip 90%>
Use the ''git rm'' and ''git mv'' commands to delete and move/rename files instead of the standard tools in your operating system. Doing so will simplify staging.
</WRAP>

===== Branching and merging =====
  * A git repository has a default branch called **main**. (In older configurations this may be **master**.)
  * To create a new branch: <code bash>git branch branch-name</code>
  * Switch to an existing branch: <code bash>git checkout branch-name</code>
  * Create a new branch and immediately switch to it: <code bash>git checkout -b branch-name</code>
  * Merge changes in another branch into the current branch: <code bash>git merge branch-name</code>
  * Delete a branch that you're not currently in: <code bash>git branch -d branch-name</code>

<WRAP center round tip 90%>
The new ''[[https://git-scm.com/docs/git-switch|git switch]]'' command is an alternative to some ''git branch'' operations. However, as of this writing, it is still experimental.
</WRAP>

===== Ignoring files =====
  * To make git ignore some files in your project, create a ''.gitignore'' file in the project directory.<file text .gitignore>
# Ignore specific files
my-passwords.txt
banking-info.docx

# Ignore compiled file(s)
*.exe
*.o

# Ignore all files in directory foo
foo/*
</file>

<WRAP center round tip 80%>
The file name must be ''.gitignore'', not ''.gitignore.txt'' or ''gitignore.txt''. To create a ''.gitignore'' file  in Windows, open the Git Bash shell in the directory where you want the file and enter:
<code bash>
touch .gitignore
</code>
</WRAP>

===== GUI interface =====
  * ''git gui'': opens a GUI for performing common git functions.
  * ''gitk'': opens a GUI commit browsing tool.
  * Lots of other third party Git tools are available.

===== More git stuff =====
  * My [[Git tips]].
  * Roger Dudler's [[https://rogerdudler.github.io/git-guide/|git - the simple guide]] goes beyond what's here, is beginner friendly, and is quite good.