Git & GitHub

1. Version Control and Git

Version control is a system that records changes to files over time so you can recall specific versions later. **Git** is a command-line tool that manages your project history. Unlike sending file copies like project_v2_final.py, Git tracks lines of edits incrementally. **GitHub** is a cloud hosting platform for your Git repositories, allowing you to share code, showcase your portfolio, and collaborate.

2. The Three Stages of Git

Git works in a cycle of three distinct environments:

• Working Directory: Your local folders on your disk where you are currently editing files.
• Staging Area: An intermediate buffer space where you select and group specific changes to prepare them for a commit. You stage edits using git add.
• Repository (Commit History): The permanent database containing all committed snapshots. You commit changes using git commit.

3. Essential Git Commands

# 1. Initialize a new local Git repository
git init

# 2. Check the status of files (untracked, modified, or staged)
git status

# 3. Add a file to the Staging Area
git add main.py
git add .  # Adds all modified files in the directory

# 4. Commit staged files with a descriptive message
git commit -m "Add user auth logic to entry script"

# 5. Review commit history log
git log --oneline

4. Ignoring Files: The .gitignore File

You should never commit virtual environments (venv/), dependencies folders (node_modules/), or files containing API keys and database passwords (.env). You create a text file named exactly .gitignore in the root of your project to specify which files and directories Git should ignore.

# .gitignore content example:
.env
__pycache__/
*.log
venv/

5. Common Beginner Mistakes

Interactive Practice

Mini Practice: Git Commits Flow

Plan out a mock Git workspace commands sequence. You create a new file named main.py, stage it, configure a .gitignore to ignore log files, and commit all changes. Write the commands in sequence below.

0% complete

Your code

Check when done

I used git init to start tracking I staged the files using git add I specified a descriptive commit message using -m

Quiz

Test Your Understanding

1. Which command prepares modified files for a commit by moving them to the staging area?

git commit git add git push

2. What is the purpose of the `.gitignore` file in a project?

To specify files and folders that Git should ignore and not track To compress files for faster upload speeds to GitHub To delete temporary cache files from your system folder

3. Which git command shows the history of all commits made in a repository?

git status git log

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