git-repository-management

When to Use

When you need to start tracking code changes, collaborate on projects, or manage different versions of files in a software development workflow.

Prerequisites

• Git installed on your system (git --version should work)
• Basic command line familiarity
• Text editor configured for Git commits

Procedure

1. Initialize new repository: git init project-name
2. Navigate to project: cd project-name
3. Configure user identity:
   • git config user.name "Your Name"
   • git config user.email "your.email@example.com"
4. Add files to staging: git add . or git add filename
5. Create first commit: git commit -m "Initial commit"
6. Check repository status: git status
7. View commit history: git log --oneline
8. Clone existing repository: git clone https://github.com/username/repo.git

Verification

Run git status to confirm repository is properly initialized and tracking files. Check git log shows your commits with correct author information.

Pitfalls

• Forgetting to configure user.name and user.email before first commit
• Adding sensitive files (use .gitignore to exclude them)
• Working directly on main/master branch without creating feature branches
• Not writing meaningful commit messages

Sources

• https://git-scm.com/
• https://github.com/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Git
• https://gitforwindows.org/
• https://www.atlassian.com/git/tutorials/what-is-git