Git is a powerful version control system used by developers worldwide to manage and track changes in their codebase. Understanding Git commands is crucial for efficient collaboration and maintaining a clean project history. This article will guide you through essential Git commands, demonstrating their usage in a Linux environment. Whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your skills, mastering these commands will significantly enhance your workflow.

Examples:

1. Setting Up Git: Before you start using Git, you need to configure your Git environment. This involves setting your username and email address, which will be associated with your commits.

   git config --global user.name "Your Name"
   git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"

2. Initializing a Repository: To start tracking your project with Git, you need to initialize a new repository.

   mkdir my_project
   cd my_project
   git init

3. Cloning a Repository: If you want to work on an existing project, you can clone a repository from a remote server.

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

4. Staging and Committing Changes: Once you've made changes to your files, you need to stage them before committing.

   git add .
   git commit -m "Initial commit"

5. Checking the Status: To see the status of your working directory and staging area, use the following command:

   git status

6. Viewing the Commit History: To view the history of commits in your repository, use:

   git log

7. Branching and Merging: Branches allow you to work on different features or fixes independently. Here’s how to create and switch to a new branch:

   git branch new-feature
   git checkout new-feature

   After making changes and committing them, you can merge the branch back into the main branch:

   git checkout main
   git merge new-feature

8. Pushing and Pulling Changes: To share your changes with others, you need to push them to a remote repository. Similarly, to update your local repository with changes from others, you pull from the remote repository.

   git push origin main
   git pull origin main

9. Resolving Conflicts: Sometimes, you may encounter merge conflicts. Git will mark the conflicting areas in the files, and you’ll need to resolve them manually.

   # Edit the conflicting files to resolve conflicts
   git add resolved_file
   git commit -m "Resolved merge conflict"