As a programmer or developer, you have probably heard of Git, a version control system that is widely used for software development. Git is an open-source tool that was created by Linus Torvalds in 2005 to manage the development of the Linux kernel. Today, Git is one of the most popular version control systems in use and has become an essential tool for software development. In this article, we will explore the most commonly used Git commands on Linux, from the basics to the advanced.

Getting Started

Before we dive into the Git commands, let’s first cover the basics of how to get Git installed on your Linux system. Most Linux distributions come with Git pre-installed, but if you need to install it, you can use the following command:

sudo apt-get install git

This command will install Git on your system, and you’ll be ready to start using it.

Creating a Git Repository

To use Git, you need to create a repository. A repository is a collection of files and directories that are managed by Git. To create a repository, navigate to the directory where you want to create the repository and run the following command:

git init

This command will initialize a new Git repository in the current directory.

Adding Files to the Repository

Once you have created a repository, you need to add files to it. You can add files to the repository using the following command:

git add <file>

This command will stage the changes made to the specified file for commit.

Committing Changes

After you have added files to the repository, you can commit the changes. To commit the changes, use the following command:

git commit -m "commit message"

This command will create a new commit with the specified commit message. The commit message should be a brief description of the changes that were made.

Viewing Changes

You can view the changes that were made to the repository using the following command:

git log

This command will show a list of all the commits that have been made to the repository.

Branching

Branching is a powerful feature of Git that allows you to create a new branch from the current branch. To create a new branch, use the following command:

git branch <branch_name>

This command will create a new branch with the specified name.

Switching Branches

To switch between branches, use the following command:

git checkout <branch_name>

This command will switch to the specified branch.

Merging Branches

To merge two branches, use the following command:

git merge <branch_name>

This command will merge the specified branch into the current branch.

Pushing to a Remote Repository

To push changes to a remote repository, use the following command:

git push <remote_name> <branch_name>

This command will push the changes made to the specified branch to the remote repository.

Pulling from a Remote Repository

To pull changes from a remote repository, use the following command:

git pull <remote_name> <branch_name>

This command will pull the changes made to the specified branch from the remote repository.

Conclusion

Git is a powerful version control system that is widely used in software development. In this article, we have covered the most commonly used Git commands on Linux, from the basics to the advanced. With these commands, you can create, manage, and collaborate on Git repositories. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced user, these commands will help you get the most out of Git.