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Git Basics

Now that we have connected git with github we can learn some git basics.

Git comes with a lot of commands, and is extremly powerful software. For now, we will focus on a few basic commands that you will use daily.

We belive in learning by doing, so let's go in this direction and prepare yourself for the assignments when we start working with python code.

Lesson Overview​

In this lesson you will learn:

  • What are git specific terms
  • How to create a local repository
  • How to add files to be tracked by git and commit changes to those files
  • How to create and connect remote repository (from Github) to your local repository, then pushing changes to remote repository.

Learn How Git Speaks​

Before starting with commands, it's useful to get to know ourself with some wording git uses:

  • Repository: A folder for your project. Each git project is a repository (or repo for short).
  • Commit: A snapshot of your code at the time of creating commit. Commits are what allow you to undo your changes to any older commit at any time.
  • Branch: A parallel codebase for you to experiment with and build new features without affecting the main branch
  • Pull Request (PR): When work on the branch is finished, you issue a pull request to your main branch so changes can be merged.
  • Remote: A copy of your repository NOT on your local machine (etc.: GitHub)
tip

Do not worry about what these words mean just yet or try to remember it all. We will use git commonly throuout the course, and you will get plenty of exercise in using it.

Assignment​

  1. To keep things organized while you work on projects, choose a directory on your local computer where you will store all of them and cd into it. For example create a directory called Projects in your Documents directory. For the rest of the course, we will assume your Projects directory has the following path: ~/Documents/Projects.
  2. Now we need to create a directory which we will use to store our assigment project which we will evolve after each lesson. Create a new directory by executing mkdir simple-bookstore, then cd into it by executing cd simple-bookstore.
  3. We need to tell git to start tracking changes in our directory, which is called initialization. Run git init command to let git know that you want to start tracking this directory.
  4. Now we will create our first file: README.md. This file serves as description of your project and usually contains information on running your projects. We will not worry about this now, just open your code editor in that directory by executing code . command (NOTE: don't forget the dot . at the end of the command). Create a new file with the name README.md and write some content in it, like: 
    This is the start of my python journey!
    Or whatever contents you want.

Assignment​

  1. Choose a directory on your local computer where you will store all of your projects and cd into it. For example create a directory called Projects in your Documents directory. For the rest of the course, we will assume your Projects directory has the following path: ~/Documents/Projects.
  2. Create a new directory by executing mkdir simple-bookstore, then cd into it by executing cd simple-bookstore.
  3. Initialize git repository by executing git init command. This tells git to start tracking for changes in our directory.
  4. Let's create a README.md file as every good repository should have one. Open your code editor in that directory by executing code . command (NOTE: don't forget the . at the end of the command). Create a new file with the name README.md and write some content in it, like: 
    This is the start of my python journey!
    Or whatever contents you want.
  5. Let's check the status of our repository by executing git status command. You will see your README.md in the section untracked files. This means git knows about your file, but it's not part of the snapshot it will create, so let's fix that in the next step.
  6. By executing git add README.md we say to git that we want to add that file to staging area which is like a space where git is aware of your files and which will be included in the snapshot (commit). Like saying a photographer to line up and frame the shot. Now we take the actuall snapshot (commit) in the next step.
  7. Execute git commit -m "Add README file with initial content" command which tells git to make the actuall snapshot (or commit). -m stands for message and its required in commit command, and not supplying it will open your default terminal text editor to enter the message. Message should be short but descriptive note explaining what you changed and why.
  8. Now let's upload our files to Github (or push the changes we made). First we need to create a repository in our Github. Go to github.com/new and enter the name for your new remote repository. You can use the same name as your local directory: simple-bookstore. Then choose visibility setting (public or private). DO NOT create files Github offers: README, .gitignore, license; we will do these manually. Click on the green Create repository button.
  9. Github will offer varius ways of getting things done, but the main thing you should be looking for is the command starting with git remote add origin. Copy that whole line and paste it in your terminal (be sure you are in our current directory (simple-bookstore)). The line should look something like git remote add origin https://github.com/your-username/simple-bookstore.git. Execute the command to add our remote repository as remote to our current git repository, so we can push the changes we made to online repository.
  10. Now run git push -u origin main to send files to your remote we just added in the previus step. The -u flag is used only first time you push to set up tracking connections so in later pushes, we can just do git push.
  11. Check your Github for pushed code. You should see your README.md sitting there on your repository view. Congratulations! You've just mastered the fundamental workflow of Git and GitHub.
tip

In the above step 6, we executed git add README.md. This is fine when you have a few files to add to staging area, but what if there are dozens, or hundreds?

Git helps us out with git add . (notice the dot .) which will add all unstaged files to staging area.

This may not be what you always want, but it is a nice shortcut.

What's Next​

We are finally done with introductions and essential setup so we can start with python lessons. Let's learn.