Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting out, mastering Git and GitHub is essential for taking your projects to the next level. This guide is crafted to help you navigate the domain of version control and collaborative development with ease and confidence.

Git is a popular tool for distributed version control and managing source code. It’s great at keeping track of changes, making it easy to branch out, merge, and manage different versions.

If you’re on the hunt for a beginner-friendly Git tutorial, you’re in luck. This tutorial on Git and GitHub will cover the basics and move on to more complex topics such as branching, resolving merge conflicts, and a variety of handy Git commands.

By the end of this Git tutorial, you’ll possess a solid grasp of Git & GitHub’s functionalities and know how to apply them efficiently in your projects.

Prerequisites: It is recommended that you have a basic knowledge of the Command Prompt and some prior coding experience before using Git.

What is Git?

Git is a distributed version control system (DVCS) that’s essential for developers to track changes, collaborate, and manage various versions of their projects effectively.

Developed by Linus Torvalds in 2005 for Linux kernel development, Git has become a fundamental tool in modern software development workflows. As of February 2024, the latest version of Git is 2.44.0, reflecting its ongoing evolution and improvement to meet the needs of developers around the world.

Why Use Git?

About 70% of developers globally rely on Git for their coding projects. Here’s why Git is so favoured:

• It allows developers to collaborate from different locations.
• It provides a complete history, enabling comparisons between past and current project changes.
• It offers the option to revert to previous project versions.

Working with Git

When you set up a folder with Git, it turns into a repository—a dedicated space where Git records every update in a concealed folder. Within this folder, any modifications, additions, or deletions are tracked by Git, labelling the files as “modified.” You have the choice to select which changes to keep by staging them.

Think of staging as preparing your changes for a specific version you wish to preserve. Once you’re happy with the staged changes, you commit them. Git then saves a lasting record of these files in its history. One of the best things about Git is its ability to keep a detailed log of every commit, giving you the ability to track your progress over time.

What is Github?

GitHub is a platform that hosts Git repositories, making it easier for developers to collaborate on projects from anywhere. It’s not just a storage space for your code; it’s a hub where you can work with others, track changes, and maintain different versions of your projects.

Git Tutorial Overview

¡》Git Basics

Git is a powerful tool that tracks changes in your code over time. It allows you to revert to previous versions, compare changes, and collaborate with others without the fear of losing your work.

¡¡》Installation and Setup

To get started, download and install Git from its official website. Once installed, open your terminal and configure your username and email, which are vital for Git commits:

Git config –global user.name “Your Name”
Git config –global user.email [email protected]

GitHub: Your Coding Hub

GitHub takes Git to the cloud, providing a platform to store your repositories online. It’s a hub for collaboration, allowing multiple developers to work on a single project from anywhere in the world.

¡¡¡》Creating a Repository

Sign up for a GitHub account and create your first repository by clicking the ‘New repository’ button. Choose a name, description, and initialize it with a README for best practices.

Branching Out

Branches are essential for managing new features or experiments. They allow you to work on different versions of a repository at one time.

¡v》Creating and Switching Branches

Create a new branch using:

Git branch new-feature

Switch to your new branch with:

Git checkout new-feature

Commit to Changes

Commits are snapshots of your work. They save a version of your code that you can revert to if needed.

V》Making Your First Commit

Add your files to the staging area with `git add` and commit them with a message:

Git add .
Git commit -m “Initial commit”

Pull Requests: The Gateway to Collaboration

Pull requests let you tell others about changes you’ve pushed to a branch in a repository on GitHub.

V¡》Creating a Pull Request

After pushing your changes to GitHub, navigate to the ‘Pull Requests’ tab and click ‘New pull request’. Select the branch you want to merge and create the pull request with a clear description of your changes.

Seems hard right ? Don’t worry here is how to perform everything as a beginner.

Complete GIT and Github Tutorial

When learning Git and GitHub, you’ll start with the basics like setting up Git, creating repositories, and using Git Bash. As you progress, you’ll handle more complex tasks such as managing branches, resolving conflicts, and working with platforms like Bitbucket and GitHub.

This comprehensive tutorial will guide you through each step, ensuring you become proficient in using these essential tools for version control and collaboration. Let’s get started.

1. Introduction to GIT

• Version Control System
• Introduction and Installation of Git
• History of Git
• Git Features
• Introduction to GitHub
• Git Repository
• Git Features
• Bare Repositories in Git
• Git Ignore
• Readme.md File
• GitHub Readme File
• GitHub Labels
• Difference between CVS and GitHub

2. Git Basics

• Git – SubGit
• Git Environment Setup
• Using Git on CLI
• How to Setup a Repository
• Working with Git Repositories
• Using GitHub with SSH
• Working on Git with GUI
• Difference Between Git and GitHub
• Working on Git Bash
• States of a File in Git Working Directory
• Use of Submodules in GitHub
• How to Write Good Commit Messages on GitHub?
• Deleting a Local GitHub Repository
• Git Workflow Etiquettes
• Git Packfiles
• Git Garbage Collection
• Git Flow vs GitHub Flow
• Git – Difference Between HEAD, Working Tree and Index
• Git Ignore

3. Git Installation

• How to Install Git on Ubuntu
• How to Use Git in Ubuntu
• How to Setup Git Server on Ubuntu?
• How to Add GIT Credentials in MacOS?
• How to add GIT credentials on Windows?
• How to add GIT credentials on Linux?
• How to Setup Git on Anypoint Studio?
• How to Install Git With Spyder
• How to Install Git on VMWare
• How to Install GIT in Conda?
• How to Install GIT on GoDaddy Server on Linux?
• How to Install Git on Windows Using Chocolatey?
• How to install GIT by NPM Packages?
• How to Install Git on Cygwin?
• How to Install Git Large File Storage on Linux?
• How to Install Sourcetree for GIT on Windows?
• How to Install Sourcetree for GIT in MacOs?
• How to Install Git on Raspberry Pi?
• How to Install Git on Termux?
• How to Set Up Git Using Git Config?

4. Git Commands

• Useful Git Commands and Basic Concepts
• Basic Git Commands with Examples
• Essential Git Commands
• Top 12 Most Used Git Commands For Developers
• Save a File in Git
• Difference between “add -A”, “add -u”, “add .”, and “add *”
• Difference between “git add -A” and “git add”
• Debugging in a Git
• How to Add Code on GitHub Repository?
• Pushing Changes to Git Repository
• Examining Git
• Git Checkout and Merge
• Overturning Changes in Git
• Git Submodules
• Git Head
• Git Clean
• Git Rename
• Git Fork
• Git Init
• Git Add
• Git Commit
• Git Commit
• Git Origin Master
• How to Set Upstream Branch on Git?
• Git Push
• Git Pull
• Git Pull and Fetch
• Git Merge
• Git Stash
• Git Remote
• Git Patch
• Git Patch Operations
• Git Rebase
• Git Clone
• Git Alias
• Git Alias
• Git Ref and Reflog
• Git Undo Commit
• Git Undo
• Git Stage
• Git Squash
• Git Move Files
• Git diff
• Git Status
• Git Blame
• Git Index
• Git Prune
• Git Checkout and Merge
• Git Merge and Merge Conflicts
• Recovering Lost Commits in Git
• Git Tags
• Git Hooks
• Git Subtree
• Git – Filtering the Commit History
• Git – Cherry Pick
• Git – git-show Command Line Utility
• Git – Working Tree
• Git Logs
• Git – Changing History
• Shallow Clone on Git Linux
• Sync your fork with a master in GitHub
• Error Searching and Handling in Git
• Delete a Git Branch Locally and Remotely
• How to Push Git Branch to Remote?
• How to Add an Empty Directory to a Git Repository?
• Difference Between Git Push Origin and Git Push Origin Master
• Difference Between Git remote prune, Git prune,on and Git fetch –prune
• Git – Difference Between Merging and Rebasing
• How to Use Git Log to Format the Commit History?
• How to Remove Local Untracked Files From Current Git Working Tree?

5. Git and GitHub

• Create a Repository on GitHub
• Introduction to Git Branch
• How to Add Code of Conduct to Your Project on GitHub?
• Difference Between Fork and Clone in GitHub
• How to Add Audio Files on README .md File in a GitHub Repository From the Local System?
• How to Add Videos on README .md File in a GitHub Repository?
• How to Upload a Project on GitHub
• How to Export a Git Project?
• How to Push a Project and Contribute on GitHub?
• How to Push Anything to GitHub using Git Bash?
• How to Push Folders From a Local PC to GitHub using Git Commands?
• How to Add Images on README .md File in a GitHub Repository From the Local System?
• How to Transfer Local Repository to GitHub Organization?
• How to Generate Personal Access Token in GitHub?
• How to Add GIFs on README .md File in a GitHub Repository?
• How to Change the Visibility of the GitHub Repository?
• Issues in GitHub
• Git – How to Solve “remote: Invalid username or password. Fatal: Authentication failed”
• Git – A lock file already exists in the repository, which blocks this operation from completing
• Common Git Problems and Their Fixes
• How to add a README to your GitHub profile?
• How to Upload a Project through GitHub Desktop on GitHub
• How to configure an OAuth App from GitHub?
• How to move the most recent commit(s) to a new branch with Git
• How to Use GIT with R and RStudio?
• How to Use Git with Eclipse?
• Git–Pack Objects

6. Git and GitHub in VS Code:

• How to Add GIT Credentials in VSCode?
• How to Clone a Project From GitHub using VSCode?
• How to Open a GitHub Repository in VS Code Online?
• How to Integrate Git Bash with VS Code
• Creating a Pull Request on any Public Repository from GitHub using VS Code
• How to Install GitHub Copilot on VSCode?

7. Git and GitHub in Android Studio

• How to Upload Project on GitHub from Android Studio
• How to Clone Android Project from GitHub in Android Studio?
• How to use Git Commands in Android Studio Terminal
• How to Create a New Branch on GitHub using Android Studio?
• How to Create a Pull Request on GitHub using Android Studio?

8. Git and GitHub in Pycharm:

• How to Create a New Branch on Github using Pycharm?
• Create a Pull Request on GitHub using Pycharm
• How to Upload a Project on GitHub from Pycharm?
• How to Push Code to GitHub using Pycharm?

9. Git and GitHub Deployment

• How to deploy the Node.js app on Heroku from GitHub?
• Deployment of React Application using GitHub Pages
• How to Publish a Static Website on GitHub
• Host a free Static Website using GitHub
• Publish Websites on GitHub Pages with a Custom Domain
• How to Deploy a Basic Static HTML Website to Heroku using Git?
• How to Deploy Angular Application to Firebase using GitHub?
• How to Add Custom Domain To GitHub Pages?
• How to Deploy a Django Application to Heroku with Git CLI?
• How to create a cv using HTML and host it in GitHub?
• Deployment of Angular Application using Github Pages
• How to Build Portfolio Website And Host It on GitHub Pages?

10. Git Collaborating

• What is Git Collaboration
• What are GitHub Collaborators
• GitHub Discussion
• Forking Workflow in Open Source Ecosystem
• How to Clone Github Repository and Push Changes in Colaboratory?
• How to make your first Open Source Pull Request
• How to setup Gitlab Repository in Windows 10
• Merge Strategies in Git
• How to Handle Merge Conflicts
• GitHub App to Add or Remove Labels to Issues
• How to Create Pull Request on GitHub without Using any IDE?
• How to Clone Web Project from GitHub in Pycharm using Git?
• How to Clone a project from GitHub using Eclipse?
• How to Export Eclipse Projects to GitHub?
• Creating New Branch on Github without using any IDE
• How to Upload Project on GitHub from Jupyter Notebook?

11. Git Advanced

• How to Handle Big Repositories with Git?
• How to Protect Your Private Email Addresses in Git & Github?
• How to send an Email using Git send-email via Gmail?
• Dynamic Quote Generator for GitHub Readme
• Automating some git commands with Python
• How to Install and Use Git in Google Colab?
• Downloading gists from Github made simple
• Introduction to Bitbucket
• Difference between Bitbucket and GitHub
• Using Bitbucket as an extension to GitHub Capabilities
• Working on Bitbucket using Git
• Introduction to Mercurial
• Difference between MERCURIAL and GIT
• How to Make a GitHub Bot
• Jenkins and GIT Integration using SSH Key
• GitHub App to Build Form using Typeform and Probot
• How to Trigger WebHooks without Events – Probot Github App
• Difference between Gitlab and GitHub
• Difference between Git and SVN
• Link your GitHub Account with R Studio
• Continuous Integration and Continuous Development(CI/CD)
• How to Add GIT Credentials in Jenkins?
• Implementation of CI/CD in .NET application Using Shell Executor on GitLab
• Implementation of CI/CD in Java application(Linux) Using Shell and Docker Executor on GitLab
• Implementation of CI/CD in C/C++ Application(Linux) Using Shell and Docker Executor on GitLab
• How to Publish Docker Image to Dockerhub Using Github Actions?
• Installing Private Git Server on K8s Cluster with Gitea and AKS
• Flutter – Building and Releasing APK using GitHub Actions
• How to Upload Android APK to Testers Group in Firebase Using GitHub Actions?
• Basic CI Workflow For Android using GitHub Actions
• GitHub Actions For Android

Internal Working of GIT

Git operates on a decentralized model where each developer has their own version of the repository and can work directly on the project. It handles projects using repositories and can copy a project to work on it locally.

By staging and committing, Git keeps track of changes and maintains control. You can fetch the most recent code of the project to your local copy and send your local updates to the main projects.

If you Prefer a course,

Why look further when our Free GitHub/git course offers all you need in one comprehensive Git program! Enroll in our Git Program today, and our advisors will be in touch to provide you with all the guidance and support you need.

Git & GitHub – The Complete Git & GitHub Course

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve just embarked on a journey to becoming a Git and GitHub pro. With these tools at your disposal, you’re well-equipped to manage your code and collaborate with others effectively. Happy coding and collaboration.

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