How to Use Git Terminal?

Git is an essential tool for modern developers, enabling version control and collaboration on projects. One of the most powerful ways to interact with Git is through the Git terminal (or command-line interface). The terminal gives you full control over your version control tasks, offering greater flexibility and efficiency than graphical interfaces.

In this blog post, we’ll cover the basics of using the Git terminal, key commands to manage your repository, and tips for boosting your productivity with Git on the command line.

What is the Git Terminal?

The Git terminal (also called Git Bash on Windows) is the command-line interface used to interact with Git. Git itself is a distributed version control system, and the terminal allows you to perform operations like creating repositories, staging changes, committing code, branching, and collaborating with others.

While there are graphical tools for Git, the terminal is widely favored for its speed, flexibility, and access to advanced Git features that aren’t always available through GUIs.

Why Use the Git Terminal?

• Efficiency: You can execute Git commands quickly without needing to navigate through menus or click buttons.
• Flexibility: The terminal gives you full access to all Git functionality, including advanced features that might not be present in GUI tools.
• Learning and Understanding: Using the terminal helps you gain a deeper understanding of Git’s workflow and commands.

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Setting Up the Git Terminal

1. Install Git

To use the Git terminal, you first need to install Git on your computer.

• On Windows: Download Git from Git for Windows, and during installation, choose the option to install Git Bash.
• On macOS/Linux: Git is usually pre-installed. If not, you can install it via Homebrew on macOS or the package manager on Linux:

  brew install git  # macOS
  sudo apt install git  # Ubuntu/Debian
  sudo yum install git  # CentOS/RHEL

2. Open the Git Terminal

Once Git is installed, open the terminal:

• On Windows: Open Git Bash from the Start menu.
• On macOS/Linux: Open the Terminal app, and Git commands should work immediately if it’s installed correctly.

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Basic Git Commands in the Terminal

Here are the most essential Git commands for managing your project:

1. Checking Git Version

To ensure that Git is properly installed, run the following command:

git --version

This will return the installed version of Git, confirming that it’s available for use.

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2. Initializing a Git Repository

If you want to start using Git in an existing project, you’ll first need to initialize a Git repository. Navigate to your project folder and run:

git init

This creates a new .git directory, marking the project as a Git repository.

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3. Cloning a Remote Repository

To clone an existing repository from a remote server (like GitHub), use the git clone command:

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

Replace the URL with the actual repository link. This will create a local copy of the repository on your machine, along with its history and branches.

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4. Checking the Status of Your Repository

The git status command shows the current state of your working directory and staging area. It tells you which files have been modified, added, or are untracked:

git status

This is useful for understanding which changes you’ve made and whether or not they’re ready to be committed.

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5. Staging Changes

Before you commit changes to the repository, you need to stage them. You can stage individual files or all changes at once:

• To stage a specific file:

  git add filename

• To stage all changes:

  git add .

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6. Committing Changes

Once your changes are staged, commit them to the repository. A commit creates a snapshot of your changes:

git commit -m "Your commit message"

Make sure to use clear and concise commit messages that describe the changes you made.

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7. Viewing Commit History

To see the history of commits in your repository, use:

git log

This shows a list of commits, including commit hashes, author information, and commit messages.

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8. Pushing Changes to a Remote Repository

After committing your changes locally, you’ll want to push them to a remote repository like GitHub or GitLab. To do this, use the git push command:

git push origin main

Here, origin is the default name for the remote repository, and main is the branch you’re pushing to. If you’re pushing a new branch, use the appropriate branch name.

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9. Pulling Changes from a Remote Repository

To get the latest changes from the remote repository and merge them into your local branch, use:

git pull origin main

This fetches and integrates changes from the main branch of the remote repository.

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10. Creating and Switching Branches

Git’s branching feature allows you to work on different versions of your project in parallel. To create a new branch and switch to it, use the following commands:

• To create a new branch:

  git branch new-branch

• To switch to the new branch:

  git checkout new-branch

Or, to create and switch in one command (Git 2.23+):

git switch -c new-branch

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11. Merging Branches

After working on a branch, you might want to merge your changes back into the main branch. First, ensure you’re on the branch you want to merge changes into (usually main or master), then use:

git merge new-branch

This merges the changes from new-branch into your current branch.

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Advanced Git Terminal Commands

Once you’re comfortable with the basics, here are a few advanced commands to improve your Git workflow:

1. Resetting Changes

If you want to undo changes in your working directory:

git checkout -- filename

To remove changes staged for commit:

git reset HEAD filename

To completely undo the last commit but keep the changes in your working directory:

git reset --soft HEAD~1

2. Reverting a Commit

If you need to undo a commit and create a new commit to reverse the changes:

git revert commit-hash

This creates a new commit that undoes the changes introduced by the specified commit.

3. Stashing Changes

If you’re in the middle of working on something but need to switch branches, you can stash your changes to apply them later:

git stash

You can retrieve the stashed changes later with:

git stash apply

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Tips for Efficient Git Usage in the Terminal

1. Use Tab Completion: The Git terminal supports tab completion, so typing part of a command or filename and pressing Tab can save time.
2. Aliases: You can create aliases for commonly used Git commands to reduce typing. For example, add the following to your .bash_profile or .gitconfig to make git status shorter:

   alias gs='git status'

3. Using Git Log with Flags: To make the git log output more readable, try:

   git log --oneline --graph --decorate --all

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Conclusion

Using the Git terminal might seem intimidating at first, but it is an incredibly powerful tool for managing your code and collaborating with others. Mastering Git on the command line will give you a deeper understanding of version control and allow you to leverage all of Git’s features effectively.

By familiarizing yourself with basic Git commands like git status, git commit, and git push, you’ll soon be able to navigate your projects with ease. As you become more comfortable with advanced commands, your workflow will become faster and more efficient, helping you to manage code and collaborate with others like a pro.