modules

Git: Reference

Getting Started

1. Create a new repository on GitHub

2. Clone that repository locally onto your computer

    git clone git@github.com:dmil/mehta-simple-website.git
   

Linear Workflow

1. cd into the folder containing your project.

    cd ~/path/to/project
   

2. Check the status of your local repository to make sure you didn’t forget to commit any work.

    git status
   

3. Then pull the latest changes from the remote repository on GitHub.

    git pull
   

4. Do a discrete chunk of work on your project (lets say you added a basic FAQ page”

5. Check the status again, then add the files you’d like to commit to the staging area.

    git status
    git add faq.html
    git status
   

6. Commit with a descriptive summary of exactly what you did

    git commit -m "add a basic FAQ page"
   

7. Push that change back to GitHub

    git push
   

Non-linear branching workflow

1. cd into the folder containing your project.

    cd ~/path/to/project
   

2. Check the status of your local repository to make sure you didn’t forget to commit any work. Run git branch to see which branch you’re on. You should ideally be on the master branch.

    git status
    git branch
   

3. Then pull the latest changes from the master branch of the remote repository on GitHub.

    git pull
   

4. Create a new branch with a descriptive name (remember the -b option will create a new branch, you can check out an existing branch by not using that option)

    git checkout -b faq-page
   

5. Do your work in discrete chunks. at the end of each chunk, add the file to the staging area, then commit it. Its usually a good idea to also push the latest to GitHub, although some people prefer to do that at the end.

   Do some work

    git status
    git add faq.html
    git commit -m "add blank FAQ page"
    git push
    git status
   

   Do more work

    git status
    git add faq.html
    git commit -m "add information to FAQ page"
    git push
    git status
   

   Do more work

    git status
    git add faq.html
    git commit -m "fix bug"
    git push
    git status
   

   Do more work - lets imagine this work took place across two files, an html file and a stylesheet file.

    git status
    git add faq.html
    git add style.css
    git commit -m "make it look pretty"
    git push
    git status
   

6. Once everything has been pushed to GitHub, issue a pull request from your branch back to the master branch.

   

7. You can have a discussion on this pull request using GitHub’s social features, and then merge it into the master branch when everyone agrees its a good idea to do so.

8. Finally, once the pull request has been merged into the master branch in the remote repository on GitHub, you’ll want to get the latest version of the master branch on your local machine. Checkout the master branch locally and then pull.

    git checkout master
    git pull
   

Additional Resources

1. If you’re stuck, ask (or come to office hours). Ihsaan and I should also be on Slack.
2. Here is a video I made last year that might be of some use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4Zc8DJ9MdQ
3. Here the diagram from class