3. Basic Git Commands

git add

The git add command is used to stage changes for commit. In other words, it tells Git that you want to include updates from certain files in the next commit.

Usage:

git add [file/directory]

Examples:

• To add a single file:

  
  git add filename.txt
  

• To add all files in the current directory (and subdirectories):

  
  git add .
  

• To add all files with a certain extension (e.g., all .txt files):

  
  git add *.txt
  

git commit

Once you've staged your changes with git add, you use git commit to capture your changes in a snapshot, which can be thought of as a "save point" in your project's history.

Usage:

git commit -m "Your commit message here"

The -m flag allows you to add a short message describing the commit. It's essential to write clear and descriptive commit messages to understand the project's history later.

Example:

bashCopy code
git commit -m "Add initial version of the README file"

git status

The git status command shows the status of changes in the working directory and staging area. It'll tell you which changes have been staged, which haven't, and which files aren't being tracked by Git.

Usage:

git status

git log

The git log command displays the commit history, showing details about each commit, including the author, date, and commit message.

Usage:

git log

For a more concise view with one line per commit, you can use:

git log --oneline

git diff

The git diff command shows the differences between your working directory and the last commit. It's useful to see what changes you've made before staging them.

Usage:

• To see differences in the working directory not yet staged:

  
  git diff
  

• To see differences in the staged changes compared to the last commit:

  
  git diff --staged
  

git revert

• Purpose: Used to reverse the changes made by a specific commit by creating a new commit. This ensures that the commit history remains intact.

• Usage:

  
  git revert [commit-hash]
  

• Example Scenario: If you've introduced a change that, in hindsight, isn't needed or is problematic, but you want to keep a record of all actions (including the mistake and its correction), you'd use git revert.

.gitignore

.gitignore isn't a command, but a special file that you place in the root of your repository. It tells Git which files or directories to ignore and not track. This is useful for excluding files that you don't want in your repo, like temporary files, logs, or files containing sensitive information.

Example .gitignore content:

# Ignore all .log files
*.log

# Ignore the build directory
/build/

# Ignore the secret configuration
secret-config.json

To make Git ignore the files/directories listed in .gitignore, simply create or edit the .gitignore file in your repository's root directory and list the patterns for files or directories you want to exclude.