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Thomas Claudius Huber

Git is one of the most popular version control systems. This course will teach you how to work with Git to track and store the changes of your source code. First, you will learn the bascis about Git. You will learn what version control systems are and how local, centralized, and distributed version control systems work. After this, you will learn how to set up Git on your machine. You'll learn how to configure Git, so that your name and email are stored with every commit.Next, you will learn how to work with local repositories. You will use the commandline to create a repository on your machine and I will show you how to stage and commit changes. After this, you will learn how to branch and merge your code to work on specific features of your project. You will also learn how to handle merge conflicts that can happen when multiple developers are working on the same code base.Finally, you will learn how to push your code to a remote repository on GitHub, how to clone an existing repository from GitHub, and how to use pull requests to collaborate with other developers.

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Git is one of the most popular version control systems. This course will teach you how to work with Git to track and store the changes of your source code. First, you will learn the bascis about Git. You will learn what version control systems are and how local, centralized, and distributed version control systems work. After this, you will learn how to set up Git on your machine. You'll learn how to configure Git, so that your name and email are stored with every commit.Next, you will learn how to work with local repositories. You will use the commandline to create a repository on your machine and I will show you how to stage and commit changes. After this, you will learn how to branch and merge your code to work on specific features of your project. You will also learn how to handle merge conflicts that can happen when multiple developers are working on the same code base.Finally, you will learn how to push your code to a remote repository on GitHub, how to clone an existing repository from GitHub, and how to use pull requests to collaborate with other developers.

After this course, you will have the skills and knowledge needed to use Git successfully in your projects.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Set up git on your machine
  • Create a local git repository
  • Stage and commit changes from the command line
  • View the history of your source code
  • Branch and merge your code to work on software features
  • Handle merge conflicts when working with branches
  • Push your code to a remote repository on github
  • Clone a remote repository from github
  • Create a pull request on github
  • Collaborate with other developers on github

Syllabus

Introduction
Create Your First Commit
What to Expect From This Course
Understanding the Git Basics
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Check your knowledge of Version Control Systems and Git with the following learning questions.

Check your knowledge of how to set up Git with the following learning questions.

Check your knowledge of working with local Git repositories with the following learning questions.

Check your knowledge of branching and merging code with the following learning questions.

Check your knowledge of pushing to a remote repository with the following learning questions.

Check your knowledge of creating and merging pull requests with the following learning questions.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Builds a strong foundation for beginners who are new to version control systems
Teaches skills, knowledge, and tools that are highly relevant in industry
Examines the bascis of popular version control system: Git
Strengthens an existing foundation for intermediate learners who already understand the basics of version control systems
Develops professional skills or deep expertise in version control
Covers unique perspectives and ideas that may add color to other topics and subjects

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Reviews summary

Clear, hands-on introduction to git & github

According to learners, this course provides a highly practical and accessible foundation for Git and GitHub. Students frequently praise its clear, step-by-step explanations of core concepts like branching and merging, effectively making a potentially daunting subject approachable for absolute beginners. The course's strong emphasis on hands-on command-line operations and practical GitHub integration is consistently highlighted as a major strength, equipping users with confidence for real-world use. While delivering on its beginner promise, some students, particularly those new to the command line, found the pacing occasionally fast, and a few wished for more advanced examples or deeper dives into Git's internal workings.
Strong focus on command-line practice and real-world GitHub workflows.
"I especially appreciated the hands-on exercises and the focus on command-line operations, which are essential for real-world use."
"The content on collaboration using GitHub was invaluable for my team projects."
"Very practical and to the point. I learned how to manage my project's code effectively."
"Hands-on and highly effective! This course provided me with the confidence to start using Git in my daily development tasks."
The course excels at explaining complex Git concepts clearly for new learners.
"This course is exactly what I needed to get started with Git. The instructor explains complex concepts like branching and merging in a very clear, step-by-step manner."
"Fantastic course for anyone new to version control. The setup instructions were crystal clear, and I loved how the course walked me through creating my first repository..."
"I've tried other Git tutorials before and always got lost, but this one clicked. The way the instructor explained the three main areas was brilliant."
"I can now confidently use Git! This course made what seemed like a daunting topic very approachable."
Some absolute beginners found the pace a bit fast, requiring re-watching.
"Decent course, but I struggled a bit with the pace. As a complete beginner to coding and command line, some parts felt overwhelming."
"While the content is relevant, I had to pause frequently and re-watch videos. Perhaps more simplified analogies or extra practice for absolute novices."
Delivers basics, but some desired more advanced topics or deeper dives.
"My only minor critique is that some sections felt a bit rushed, especially the merge conflict resolution. More practice scenarios for conflicts would have been beneficial."
"I wish there were more advanced examples beyond the very basic ones, but for 'beginners,' it's appropriate."
"It's okay for total beginners, but I found the explanations a bit too superficial for my taste. I was hoping for a slightly deeper dive into Git's internal workings..."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Git for Beginners with these activities:
Organize Course Materials
Organize your notes, assignments, and other course materials for easy reference.
Show steps
  • Create a system for organizing your materials.
  • Gather all of your materials.
  • Organize your materials.
Attend a Git Meetup
Connect with other Git users and learn about best practices.
Browse courses on Networking
Show steps
  • Find a local Git meetup.
  • Attend the meetup.
Explore Git Features
Expand your knowledge of Git by exploring advanced features.
Browse courses on Version Control
Show steps
  • Find tutorials on Git features.
  • Follow the tutorials to learn and practice the features.
Five other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all eight activities
Review Version Control with Git: Powerful Tools and Techniques for Collaborative Software Development
Review the concepts covered during the course and reinforce your understanding of version control using Git.
Show steps
  • Read chapters 1-3 of the book.
  • Summarize the key concepts of each chapter.
  • Identify areas where you need further clarification.
Practice Git Commands
Reinforce your understanding of Git commands and improve your proficiency.
Show steps
  • Set up a local Git repository.
  • Create a new branch.
  • Merge two branches.
  • Resolve merge conflicts.
Collaborate on a Git Project
Enhance your understanding of Git by collaborating with peers on a real-world project.
Show steps
  • Find a Git project on GitHub or GitLab.
  • Join the project as a contributor.
  • Work with other contributors to make commits, resolve merge conflicts, and review code changes.
Build a Git Workflow
Apply your skills to create a practical Git workflow for a software project.
Browse courses on Git Workflow
Show steps
  • Define the project requirements.
  • Design a Git workflow for the project.
  • Implement the workflow using Git commands.
  • Test and refine the workflow.
Contribute to Git
Make a meaningful contribution to the Git community by reporting bugs or contributing code.
Browse courses on Git
Show steps
  • Identify an issue or feature that you can contribute to.
  • Fork the Git repository.
  • Make changes to the codebase.
  • Submit a pull request.

Career center

Learners who complete Git for Beginners will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

We've selected 50 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Git for Beginners.
Is widely considered the definitive guide to Git. It starts with the basics of version control and progresses to advanced topics, including distributed workflows and Git internals. It's an essential reference for anyone working with remote repositories and is frequently recommended for both beginners and experienced users.
Focused on writing clean, readable, and maintainable code, this book provides principles and practices essential for any software developer. It is particularly useful for solidifying understanding of good coding standards and is widely recommended across the industry. It serves as an excellent reference for improving code quality.
Offers practical advice on a wide range of software development topics, emphasizing pragmatic approaches to coding, debugging, and problem-solving. It's considered a must-read for developers seeking to improve their craft and is highly relevant for both broadening and deepening understanding. The 20th-anniversary edition keeps its timeless principles relevant for contemporary developers.
Is widely regarded as an excellent starting point for anyone new to the Linux command line. It progressively builds knowledge from basic navigation to shell scripting, making it ideal for beginners. It's often recommended as a foundational text in introductory courses.
Foundational text that introduced two contrasting development models: the 'cathedral' (closed source) and the 'bazaar' (open source). It provides essential historical context and philosophical underpinnings of the open source movement. While not a recent publication, its insights remain highly relevant for understanding the core principles of open source development.
Provides a comprehensive guide to Git, covering fundamental concepts and progressing to advanced techniques like rebasing and handling submodules. The third edition, published in 2022, offers updated content and a modular approach to learning Git. It's a practical guide suitable for gaining a solid understanding of remote repository management.
Provides a catalog of refactoring techniques to improve the design of existing code without changing its external behavior. It's a practical guide essential for maintaining and evolving software systems, highly relevant for solidifying good coding practices and deepening understanding of code improvement.
Delves into the fundamental principles and challenges of designing data systems that are reliable, scalable, and maintainable. It is highly relevant for contemporary software development, particularly for engineers working with large-scale data, and provides deep technical understanding.
Seminal work on the principles and practices of continuous integration, continuous delivery, and deployment automation. It is highly relevant for understanding contemporary software development methodologies focused on frequent and reliable releases. It's valuable for deepening understanding and key reference in the field.
This recent book offers a contemporary look at the realities of open source development, focusing on the experiences of the individuals who maintain and contribute to projects. It provides valuable insights into the social and economic dynamics of modern open source, making it highly relevant for understanding the current landscape.
Navigating the various open source licenses is crucial for anyone involved in open source. provides a clear and concise explanation of the legal aspects of open source and free software licensing. It's an essential reference for developers, legal professionals, and anyone distributing or using open source software.
Written by members of Google's SRE team, this book details the practices and principles of Site Reliability Engineering, focusing on building and operating scalable and reliable systems. It's highly relevant for contemporary software development, particularly for those interested in operations, reliability, and large-scale systems. It provides deep insights into industry practices.
Explores the concepts and practices of designing and building microservices architectures. Given the prevalence of microservices in modern software development, this book is highly relevant for understanding contemporary approaches to system design. It's valuable for deepening understanding and serves as a practical guide.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the legal and policy aspects surrounding open source, including licensing, intellectual property, and governance. It's a valuable reference for legal professionals and anyone who needs a deep understanding of the legal framework of open source.
Comprehensive overview of branching in C++. Stroustrup provides a detailed explanation of the C++ branching statements, as well as numerous examples and case studies.
Practical guide to using Git for version control. It covers all the essential commands and concepts, and provides clear and concise explanations.
While not solely focused on the command line, this book provides crucial context by explaining the inner workings of the Linux operating system. Understanding the underlying system enhances command line proficiency. The third edition includes updated coverage on relevant topics like virtualization and containers.
Provides a comprehensive guide to DevOps. It covers topics such as continuous delivery, continuous deployment, and test-driven development. While it does not specifically cover Pull Requests, it provides valuable insights into the principles and practices of software development that are essential for understanding Pull Requests.
Classic guide to software development. It covers topics such as project management, team dynamics, and software quality. While it does not specifically cover Pull Requests, it provides valuable insights into the principles and practices of software development that are essential for understanding Pull Requests.
This classic book introduces fundamental design patterns for object-oriented software, providing reusable solutions to common design problems. It is crucial for deepening understanding of software design and valuable reference for developers and architects. While not recently published, its content remains foundational.
Based on rigorous research, this book provides insights into the practices that drive high performance in technology organizations, focusing on Lean, DevOps, and continuous delivery. It's highly relevant for understanding contemporary trends and deepening knowledge in these areas, particularly for professionals and graduate students.
Provides a comprehensive overview of branching in computer science, covering topics such as conditional statements, loops, and recursion. It great resource for students and professional programmers who want to learn more about the fundamentals of branching.
Is another classic in the software development community, and it contains a chapter on branching that is full of detailed information. McConnell provides a comprehensive overview of branching, covering topics such as branching strategies, branching tools, and best practices for merging branches.
Comprehensive overview of branching in JavaScript. Crockford provides a detailed explanation of the JavaScript branching statements, as well as numerous examples and case studies.
Comprehensive overview of branching in PHP. Lerdorf provides a detailed explanation of the PHP branching statements, as well as numerous examples and case studies.
Offers a visually rich and engaging approach to learning Git, making complex topics like branching and merging more accessible for beginners. It focuses on understanding the underlying concepts, not just memorizing commands. Published recently, it provides a fresh perspective and great starting point for those new to version control.
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Published recently, this book focuses on using Git for project management and in DevOps workflows, including integration with platforms like GitHub and GitLab. It covers essential Git functionalities, branching strategies, and best practices relevant to collaborative development and continuous integration, providing valuable context for merging in a project lifecycle.
Specifically targets intermediate to advanced Git users, focusing on collaboration techniques, workflows, and handling complex scenarios like merge conflicts and rebasing. It provides practical guidance for navigating challenges in a team environment and deepening understanding of advanced Git features related to integrating changes.
Provides a practical introduction to Test-Driven Development (TDD) through a series of examples. It's a foundational text for understanding this important agile practice and is highly relevant for improving code quality and developer confidence. It's particularly useful for those looking to adopt TDD in their workflow.
A practical guide for individuals looking to get involved in open source, this book covers how to contribute, build a reputation, and navigate the open source community. It's an excellent resource for students and professionals who want to actively participate in open source projects.
A comprehensive guide covering a wide range of Linux command line and shell scripting topics. Suitable for beginners and those looking to expand their knowledge. Can serve as both a learning resource and a reference.
Introduces Domain-Driven Design (DDD), an approach to software development that emphasizes aligning software design with the business domain. It is highly relevant for designing complex systems and provides a framework for deepening understanding of how to model software effectively based on business requirements.
Focused specifically on the Bash shell, a ubiquitous command line interpreter. is excellent for gaining a deep understanding of Bash features and scripting, essential for automating tasks. The third edition remains a valuable resource despite its publication date.
Ideal for beginners, this book offers a visual and hands-on approach to learning the fundamentals of Git. It covers essential concepts like repositories, commits, branches, and working with remotes. is particularly useful for those new to version control and remote repositories, providing a tangible understanding of how Git works.
Focuses on using Git effectively in a team environment, covering essential workflows and collaboration strategies. It provides valuable insights into managing shared repositories, conducting code reviews, and implementing branching strategies, which are directly relevant to complex merging scenarios. It's a great resource for understanding the practical application of Git in a professional team setting.
Examines the open source phenomenon from a political and economic perspective, analyzing why this collaborative model has been so successful. It offers a deeper, more analytical understanding of the forces that have driven open source adoption and growth. It's a good choice for those interested in the broader implications of open source beyond just the technical aspects.
This comprehensive textbook covers a wide range of algorithms and data structures, providing a theoretical foundation essential for understanding efficient code development. It core resource for deepening understanding, particularly for students and professionals focusing on the computational aspects of software development. It is often used as a textbook in university programs.
This cookbook provides practical, task-oriented examples for using Bash effectively. It's a great resource for learning by doing and finding solutions to common command line problems. Useful for both learning and as a reference.
Community is at the heart of successful open source projects. provides invaluable insights and practical advice on building, growing, and managing online communities. While not exclusively about open source, its principles are directly applicable and highly relevant to the collaborative nature of open source projects.
For organizations looking to engage with open source strategically, this book provides guidance on establishing and running an Open Source Program Office (OSPO). It covers the practicalities of managing open source within a corporate environment.
Delves into advanced Git topics, including its architecture, complex branching techniques, and methods for merging changes. It's suitable for users who have a solid grasp of the basics and want to achieve a deeper understanding of Git's capabilities and internal workings. It's a good resource for mastering more challenging Git operations.
Following the popular Head First approach, this book uses a visually rich format to help learners understand Git's core concepts. It goes beyond basic commands to explain the 'why' behind Git operations, making it valuable for solidifying understanding and moving beyond simply memorizing commands. It's suitable for beginners looking for a more engaging learning experience.
Explores the Staff Engineer role and technical leadership paths for individual contributors in software engineering. It addresses a contemporary career topic and provides guidance for experienced professionals looking to grow their impact without moving into management.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the Perforce Helix version control system. It covers a wide range of topics, including basic concepts, advanced workflows, and best practices. It valuable resource for experienced Perforce Helix users who want to improve their skills.
A comprehensive introduction to both Git and GitHub, this book is ideal for developers new to version control. It covers the basics of repositories, commits, branching, and merging in a clear, step-by-step manner. solid resource for gaining a broad understanding of how Git is used in practice, particularly with GitHub.
Practical guide to branching, with a focus on writing clean and maintainable code. Feathers provides numerous examples and best practices that can help developers improve their branching skills.
This anthology features essays from key figures in the open source movement, offering diverse perspectives on its history, philosophy, and impact. It provides valuable context and a broader understanding of the motivations and ideas behind open source. It's more of a historical reference than a guide to current practices.

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