Workflows

Git Basics

• Staging and Committing: Use git add to stage changes and git commit to save them with a descriptive message. This creates a snapshot of your project at a specific point in time.
• Branching: Create branches for new features, bug fixes, or experiments to isolate changes from the main codebase. Use git branch <branch_name> to create a new branch and git checkout <branch_name> to switch to it.
• Merging: Integrate changes from one branch into another using git merge. Resolve any merge conflicts that arise.
• Rebasing: Rewrites the project history by applying commits from one branch onto another. Use with caution, especially on shared branches. git rebase <branch_name>.

Common GitHub Workflows

• GitHub Flow: A simple branching model where all features are developed in separate branches and merged into main after review.
• Gitflow: A more structured workflow with dedicated branches for releases, hotfixes, and features.
• Forking Workflow: Create a copy (fork) of a repository to make changes, then submit a pull request to the original repository. Ideal for contributing to open-source projects.

Example Workflow (GitHub Flow)

1. Create a branch: git checkout -b feature/new-feature
2. Make changes and commit: git add ., git commit -m "Add new feature"
3. Push to GitHub: git push origin feature/new-feature
4. Create a Pull Request: On GitHub, create a pull request to merge your branch into main.
5. Review and Merge: Reviewers provide feedback, and the pull request is merged into main once approved.

Best Practices

• Descriptive commit messages: Clearly explain the changes made in each commit.
• Regular commits: Commit frequently to preserve a detailed project history.
• Code reviews: Have others review your code before merging changes to the main branch.
• Use a .gitignore file: Exclude unnecessary files (e.g., build artifacts, temporary files) from version control.