How to Make Git Usable by Humans: Introducing GitMini
Tags: git, programming, beginners, tutorial
Published: 2023-07-24 21:17:01

## Introduction:

Version control systems are essential tools for developers, allowing them to manage code changes, collaborate with team members, and track progress effectively. Git, being one of the most widely used version control systems, has revolutionized the way developers work. However, many newcomers and even experienced developers often find Git's commands and workflows challenging and confusing. This article aims to shed light on why Git can be hard to use and introduce a powerful tool called GitMini that simplifies the Git experience, making version control more accessible and efficient for everyone.

## The Git struggle:

1. Steep learning curve: Git's powerful and flexible feature set often comes at the cost of complexity. Many users, especially newcomers, find Git's learning curve to be quite steep, which can lead to frustration and mistakes.

2. Non-intuitive commands: Some of Git's commands can be challenging to understand and remember, leading to confusion and errors when using the tool.

3. Poor error or success messages: When an error occurs, Git's error messages can be cryptic and unhelpful, making it harder for users to identify and resolve issues

4. Lack of easy undo: While Git allows users to undo changes, the process is not always straightforward. This can be problematic, especially for users who are new to version control systems.

5. Complex Terminology: Git's terminology, with concepts like branches, remotes, commits, and merges, can be confusing for beginners. Understanding these terms and their interactions can take time and effort.

6. Branch management complexity: While branches are a fundamental part of Git's workflow, managing them efficiently can become complicated, especially when dealing with many long-lived branches.


## Introducing GitMini: A Simplified Git Workflow

GitMini is a powerful tool that simplifies the way developers use Git while enhancing productivity. It revolves around the concept of tickets, which are commonly used to organize and track work progress in software development. GitMini does not replace Git but rather augments it, automating repetitive tasks and streamlining the workflow. Let's explore how GitMini addresses the challenges mentioned earlier:

1. Intuitive Commands: GitMini provides a set of simple, intuitive commands that abstract away Git's complex terminology. For example, instead of using git checkout -b, you can create a branch using git start "Ticket name/number". This makes the commands more user-friendly, even for those new to version control.

2. Conflict Management: GitMini prompts users to resolve conflicts before proceeding, ensuring that code integrity is maintained and reducing the chances of errors during merges.

3. Automated Publishing and Unpublishing: The main command in GitMini is `git publish`, which streamlines the process of publishing code changes. It handles tasks such as updating the local repository, prompting conflicts, and bringing changes to the master branch, all with a single command. And you can easily undo that with `git unpublish "name of ticket"`

4. GitMini uses intuitive terms for every commands or message displayed in the terminal. Forget about commits, branches, pull, push, staging and so on... You will now deal with refreshing, starting, publishing, unpublishing and so on...


5. Ticket-based Workflow: By organizing work into tickets, GitMini simplifies multitasking and allows developers to focus on individual tasks without losing track of changes.

## Getting Started with GitMini:

Installing GitMini is a straightforward process, and it can be used alongside Git seamlessly. You can install it by running the bash script in [GitMini's repository](https://github.com/andreafuturi/gitmini) or by running

```
npm install -g gitmini
```

After installation, you can start using commands like git publish, git unpublish, git start, git rename, git combine, and more.


To start working on a new feature or bug fix, use git start "Ticket name/number". GitMini will create a new branch with the specified ticket name, enabling you to work on the task independently.

Publishing Changes: After making edits to files in the repository, use git publish "Ticket name/number" to safely update your local repository, commit changes, and push them to the master branch.

Conflict Handling: If conflicts arise during the publishing process, GitMini will prompt you to resolve them, ensuring a smooth integration of changes.

Ticket Management: You can use commands like git list to view all opened tickets, git current to check the current ticket you're working on, and git delete to remove a specific ticket when it's no longer needed.


## Conclusion:

Version control is a critical aspect of modern software development, but Git's complexity has often been a barrier to entry for many developers. GitMini, with its ticket-based approach and intuitive commands, empowers developers to focus on what they do best: writing remarkable code.

So, if you're tired of battling Git's complexities and yearn for a version control system that truly understands developers' needs, give GitMini a try. Happy coding! 😉