Git Workflow Detailed Explanation

Git is currently one of the most popular version control systems widely used in software development, document management, and other fields. This article will introduce the basic workflow of Git, including local repository, remote repository, and branch management.

Local Repository

The local repository of Git is a storage repository used to save all historical versions of a project. Unlike other version control systems, Git uses a distributed version control system, and each developer can have their own local repository. Git uses a mechanism called "staging area" to divide the changes made by developers into multiple meaningful commits.

Creating a Local Repository

To initialize a local repository, first open a terminal window in the local project folder (use Terminal for Mac and Linux systems, and Command Prompt for Windows systems), and then use the git init command to initialize the local repository.

$ cd /path/to/project/folder
$ git init

Adding Files to Local Repository

To add files to the local repository, you must first add them to the "staging area" and then commit them to the local repository. Use the git add command to add files to the staging area. For example, to add all files, use the following command:

$ git add .

Committing Changes

Use the git commit command to commit changes added to the staging area to the local repository. For example:

$ git commit -m "Initial commit"

Remote Repository

The remote repository of Git is a server used to store all historical versions of a project. Developers can push changes from their local repository to the remote repository (to update the version on the server) or pull changes from the remote repository (to synchronize the local version).

Creating a Remote Repository

To create a remote repository on the server, use Git hosting services (such as GitLab, GitHub or Bitbucket) or a dedicated Git server (such as Gitolite or Gitosis).

Cloning a Remote Repository

To copy a remote repository to a local computer (even a brand new local repository), use the git clone command. For example:

$ git clone https://github.com/username/repository.git

Pushing Changes to Remote Repository

After making changes in the local repository, use the git push command to push the changes to the remote repository. For example:

$ git push origin master

Pulling Changes

Use the git pull command to get the latest changes from the remote repository and merge them into the local repository. For example:

$ git pull origin master

Branch Management

Git’s branch management allows developers to work on multiple tasks or features in one project without interfering with each other. Each branch can have its own commit history and file version.

Creating a Branch

Use the git branch command to create a new branch. For example:

$ git branch feature-branch

Switching Branches

Use the git checkout command to switch the Git repository from the current branch to another branch. For example:

$ git checkout feature-branch

Merging Branches

After completing the development of a task or feature, use the git merge command to merge changes from the branch to the main branch. For example:

$ git merge feature-branch

Resolving Conflicts

When both branches modify the same part of the same file, conflicts may occur. To resolve conflicts, you must manually edit the file and select the changes to keep. After editing, use git add to mark the modified file as resolved, then use git commit to submit the merged changes.

Conclusion

This article introduced the basic workflow of Git, including local repository, remote repository, and branch management. Learning Git’s workflow is essential for software developers and technical professionals because it makes Git a very powerful and widely used version control system. For beginners, you can refer to Git’s official documentation as well as various online courses and tutorials to gain a deeper understanding of Git’s features and usage.