To save work with Git, inspect your changes with git status, stage the files you want in the next snapshot with git add, then record that snapshot with git commit. To share commits, connect to a remote repository and push them. The key is understanding Git’s three stages: your working tree, the staging area (also called the index), and commit history.
Understand the basic Git workflow
Your working tree is the project’s files as they currently exist on disk. The staging area holds the changes selected for the next commit. A commit records that selected content in the repository’s history on the current branch. This separation lets you choose what to save rather than automatically committing every edit.
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A useful routine is: check the repository state, inspect edits, stage the intended files, inspect the staged content, and commit. git status is the best orientation point when you are unsure what Git sees.
Check Git and configure your commit identity
Run git --version to see which Git version is installed. Git records an author name and email in commits. If Git asks for these details, or they have not been configured, set them with:
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git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"The --global option applies these values to your user account’s Git configuration. You do not have to use a personal email address; some hosting services provide privacy-preserving commit addresses.
Create a repository or copy an existing one
Choose the command based on where the project is now:
| Command | Use it when | What it does |
|---|---|---|
git init |
You already have a local project directory and want to start tracking it. | Creates an empty Git repository in that directory. |
git clone <repository-url> |
The repository already exists elsewhere, such as on a hosting service, and you need a local copy. | Copies the repository and its history to your computer. |
Start tracking an existing local project
- Open a terminal and move into the project directory:
cd path/to/project. - Initialize Git:
git init. - Check the repository state with
git status. The initial branch name depends on your Git version and configuration; inspect it withgit branch --show-currentorgit statusrather than assuming it is calledmainormaster.
Get a local copy of a repository
Run git clone <repository-url>, replacing the angle-bracketed text with the repository’s actual URL. Then enter the created directory and run git status. A clone commonly sets up tracking for the remote repository’s default branch.
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Git is the version-control tool. GitHub, GitLab, and other hosts provide remote repositories and collaboration features; they are not Git itself.
Inspect changes before staging
Use git status for a summary of changed, staged, and untracked files. Use git diff to examine changes in tracked files that have not yet been staged. Reviewing the actual edits helps catch accidental changes before they enter a commit.
| Command | What it shows |
|---|---|
git diff |
Unstaged changes in the working tree compared with the index. |
git diff --cached |
Staged changes compared with the current commit—the content prepared for the next commit. |
Stage only the changes you want to commit
Stage a specific file by naming it:
git add README.md
git statusStaging records the file’s current contents in the index. If you edit that file again afterward, stage it again to include the later edit in the next commit. While learning, prefer naming the files you intend to save so you can see exactly what you are selecting.
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git add . stages changes below the current directory, including new files and modifications. It can be convenient, but it is not a harmless universal shortcut: first check where you are and review git status so you do not stage unrelated work.
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After staging, inspect the staged content, commit it with a concise message describing the change, then review the history:
git diff --cached
git commit -m "Add project overview"
git log --onelineA commit records a snapshot on the current branch. Focused commits with informative messages are easier to understand and revisit than one large commit with a vague message. If you want to inspect the latest commit in more detail, use git show.
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Use a branch for separate work
A branch is a line of development. Create a branch and switch to it with git switch -c; switch to an existing branch with git switch. For example:
git switch -c add-contact-page
# edit files
git status
git add path/to/changed-file
git commit -m "Add contact page"
git switch mainReplace path/to/changed-file with the file you changed. The final command assumes the destination branch is named main; use the branch name shown by git branch --show-current or git branch in your repository. Check git status before switching if you have uncommitted work, so you know what state you are leaving behind.
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A remote is another copy of the repository, often hosted online. See configured remotes with git remote -v. When you clone a repository, Git commonly configures a remote and an upstream for its default branch; a repository created locally with git init may not have either configured.
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Get remote changes and send your commits
git pullobtains changes from an upstream and integrates them into your current branch.git pushsends local commits to a remote branch.
Which remote branch these commands use by default depends on the repository’s upstream configuration. On a new branch, you may need to set its upstream while pushing:
git push --set-upstream origin <branch>Replace <branch> with the current branch name. This example assumes the remote is named origin; check git remote -v if you are unsure. Access rights and host configuration also affect whether a push succeeds.
If a push fails
First check git status, git branch --show-current, and git remote -v to confirm the branch and remote. If the branch has no upstream, configure one as shown above. If the remote contains commits you do not have locally, a non-fast-forward rejection means Git cannot update that branch in the requested way without accounting for those commits. Do not reflexively force-push: rewriting the remote branch can make commits unreachable from named branches. Inspect the remote changes and integrate them before trying again.
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Quick Recap
A compact routine to repeat
- Orient yourself with
git status. - Inspect unstaged edits with
git diff. - Stage intended files with
git add filename. - Review what is staged with
git diff --cached. - Record a focused snapshot with
git commit -m "Describe the change". - When working with a remote, check its configuration and use
git pullorgit pushas appropriate.
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