| 2023-08-21

The 'Git Run'

    Here is a git run tutorial, using a simple markdown file as an example. Repetition is key to understanding and remembering these commands. This tutorial is short and can be rerun multiple times. After a few runs, you'll likely feel more comfortable with the basic Git commands!

    I assume you have Git installed on your machine. If not, you can download it here.

    The Git Run

    Initialize a new repository

    Create a new directory, navigate into it, and initialize a Git repository.

    mkdir git-run-tutorial
cd git-run-tutorial
git init

    bash

    Create a Markdown file

    Let's create a markdown file named README.md.

    echo "# My Git Run Tutorial" > README.md

    bash

    View the contents of README.md.

    cat README.md

    bash

    Check status

    You can view the changes that have been made using the git status command.

    git status

    bash

    Stage and Commit changes

    To track the file in Git, you need to stage and then commit it.

    git add README.md
git commit -m "Initial commit: Added README.md"

    bash

    Make further modifications

    You can make further changes to the same file.

    echo "This is my quick tutorial to get familiar with Git." >> README.md

    bash

    View changes via git diff

    git diff

    bash

    Git diff is a command in Git that allows users to see differences between the content in the working directory, staged changes, and committed changes. Essentially, it shows the changes that have been made but have not yet been committed.

    Commit the changes.

    git add .
git commit -m "Updated README.md with more information"

    bash

    Branching

    Create a new branch, switch to it, make a change, and then commit.

    git branch feature-branch
git checkout feature-branch
echo "Here is a new feature for our tutorial." >> README.md
git commit -am "Added a feature in feature-branch"

    bash

    Merging branches

    To integrate the changes made in the feature-branch into the main branch, you first switch back to the main branch and then perform a merge.

    git checkout main
git merge feature-branch

    bash

    View branches

    You can view the branches in your repository using the following command:

    git branch

    bash

    Delete branches

    Once you're done with a branch (e.g., after merging), you can delete it to keep your repository clean.

    git branch -d feature-branch

    bash

    Reverting to an Older Commit

    Sometimes, after making a change and committing it, you might realize that the change was not needed or incorrect. In such cases, Git provides ways to revert to a previous state.

    Make an Undesired Change

    First, let's simulate making a change that we later decide we don't want.

    echo "This is an undesired change to our tutorial." >> README.md
git commit -am "Added an undesired change"

    bash

    If you view the contents of README.md, you'll now see the undesired change.

    cat README.md

    bash

    View the Commit History

    Before we revert, let's check our commit history to see our last commits.

    git log --oneline

    bash

    You will see the most recent commit (the undesired one) at the top.

    Revert the Undesired Change

    Now, let's revert the last commit:

    git revert HEAD

    bash

    This command will create a new commit that undoes the changes made in the last commit. After running the revert, Git will prompt you to enter a commit message for the revert action. Save and close the editor to finalize the revert.

    View the contents of README.md again to see that the undesired change has been removed.

    cat README.md

    bash

    Revert to a Specific Commit

    In some cases, you may want to revert back to a specific commit from the past, not just the most recent one.

    Let's simulate making a few more changes to our file, including an unintentional mistake.

    echo "## Git Basics" >> README.md
echo "Git is a distributed version control system." >> README.md
git commit -am "Added a section on Git Basics"

echo "This is an accidental duplication." >> README.md
echo "This is an accidental duplication." >> README.md
git commit -am "Accidentally duplicated a line"

    bash

    First, identify the commit hash (or ID) from the commit log:

    git log --oneline

    bash

    Note down the hash of the commit you wish to revert to. Now, use the git revert command with a range:

    git revert [older-commit-hash]^..[newer-commit-hash]

    bash

    This will revert all commits from the specified older commit to the newer one. Remember that this will generate a new commit for each change being reverted.

    Now, check the commit log again.

    git log --oneline

    bash

    If you only want to revert a single specific commit and not a range, you can do:

    git revert [commit-hash]

    bash

    As always, after the revert action, Git will prompt you for a commit message. Save and close the editor to finalize.

    Now, check the commit log again.

    git log --oneline

    bash

    Resetting changes

    Resetting allows you to undo changes in your working directory or staging area. There are three modes:

    • --soft: undoes the last commit but keeps changes in the staging area.
    • --mixed: undoes the last commit and unstages the changes (default).
    • --hard: discards all changes in your working directory.
    # Example of a soft reset:
git reset --soft HEAD~1

# Example of a mixed reset:
git reset --mixed HEAD~1

# Example of a hard reset:
git reset --hard HEAD~1

    bash

    View commit history

    You can view the commit history using the following command:

    git log --oneline

    bash

    And there you have it! With these commands under your belt, you're well on your way to mastering the basics of Git. Practice makes perfect, so don't hesitate to run through this tutorial multiple times to solidify your understanding.

    Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this post, I invite you to explore more of my site. I write about web development, programming, and other fun stuff.