Complete Guide to Using Git and GitHub

Git and GitHub are essential tools for any modern developer. In this lesson, we will cover everything about Git and GitHub, from basics to advanced commands with practical examples. Let's get started!

What Are Git and GitHub?

Git is a version control system that allows you to track changes in your code over time. GitHub is a hosted platform that uses Git for collaboration and project sharing

Installing Git and Initial Setup

To download Git, visit the following link and install the appropriate version for your operating system:Download Here

After installation, verify the installation by running:
```
git --version
```

Initial Setup

Set your username and email:

git config --global user.name "your-username"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"

Verify the configuration:
```
git config --list
```

Basic Commands for Managing Projects

Initialize a New Repository:
```
git init
```
Track Files:
```
git add .
```
Save Changes:
```
git commit -m "Added a new feature"
```
Check the Status:
```
git status
```
View Commit History:
```
git log
```

Collaborating with GitHub

Connect to a Remote Repository:

git remote add origin https://github.com/username/repo.git

Push Changes:
```
git push -u origin master
```
Pull Updates:
```
git pull origin master
```

Clone a Repository:

git clone https://github.com/username/repo.git

Advanced Git Commands

Create and Switch Branches:
Branches allow you to work on new features or fixes without affecting the main codebase. To create a new branch, use:
```
git branch branch_name
```
To switch to the new branch, use:
```
git checkout branch_name
```
Once done, merge the branch with the main branch:
```
git merge branch_name
```
Handling Mistakes:
If you made changes to a file and want to undo them, use:
```
git checkout -- file_name
```
To remove the last commit but keep the changes, use:
```
git reset --soft HEAD~1
```
Working with Stashes:
Stashes allow you to temporarily save changes if you need to switch to another task. To save changes, use:
```
git stash
```
To retrieve the saved changes, use:
```
git stash apply
```
Deleting Branches:
If you need to delete a local branch after completing it, use:
```
git branch -d branch_name
```
To delete a branch on GitHub, use:
```
git push origin --delete branch_name
```

Practical Project for the Lesson

To complete this lesson, perform a practical project using the commands you learned:

Create a new repository locally
Add a README.md file with a project description
Push the project to GitHub
Create a new branch and make changes
Merge the new branch with the main branch

And with that, we've wrapped up today's lesson. We learned Git & GitHub and covered most of the commands we might need

About The Mobarmeg