What is Git?
Tags: beginners, programming, github, git
Published: 2022-07-18 06:41:06

The version control tool used by developers worldwide is called Git. It enables you to communicate with other developers and keep track of various code versions. You may wish to keep track of what modifications were made, by whom, and when. If your code ends up having a flaw, this becomes much more crucial! Git can be of assistance with this. However, studying Git can also be difficult and confusing at first. For this reason, I will explain Git in this article in a way that is accessible to all readers. Let's get started by discussing things like repositories, commits, branches, and much more!

What we'll discuss in this article is as follows:

## What is Git? 
Git is a version control program that you can download to your computer. If you wish to work on your own project or with other developers on a coding project, you must use Git. You can execute the command git —version in the terminal to see if Git is already installed on your machine.

You can check what version you have if Git is already installed on your computer. If Git isn't already installed, you can quickly install the right version for your operating system by visiting the Git website and following the download instructions.

## Features of Git
Git is currently the most widely used version control system since it is an open-source programme that makes it simple to manage and work on a variety of projects.

A group of people may collaborate using the same files thanks to Git. Additionally, it aids the team in navigating the chaos that sometimes results from several users altering the same files. Changes are sent from one of these repositories to another using Git, which gives every developer a local copy of the whole development history.

Here are some of Git's most fundamental and significant features:

- Distributed systems enable people to work on a project from any location in the world. A distributed system contains a central repository that many remote coworkers can access through a version control mechanism. One of the most widely used version control systems nowadays is called Git. In the event of a central server failure, having a central server causes a problem with data loss or data disconnectivity. Git mirrors the entire repository on each snapshot of the version that is being pulled by the user to address this kind of problem. In this scenario, users who have downloaded the most recent project snapshot will be able to recover the repository copy if the central server crashes. Git has a distributed mechanism that enables people to collaborate on the same project at the same time without affecting each other's work. When one user completes their portion of the code, they submit the changes to the repository, where they are updated in every other distant user's local copy of the project who has pulled the most recent version.
- All of the current Operating Systems that are in use are compatible with Git. Additionally, Git repositories can access the repositories of other VCSs, such as SVN, CVK, etc. These SVNs produce remote repositories that are directly accessible via Git. As a result, people who weren't already using Git can also switch to it without having to copy their contents from repositories of other VCSs into Git-VCS. Git has access to other VCSs' core repositories as well. As a result, one can use the central repository to carry out work using Git-SVN. Git provides a CVS server emulator, allowing users to access Git repositories using their existing IDE plugins and CVS clients.
- Git enables users to work remotely on a project from anywhere in the world. A user can choose any section of the project, do the necessary action, and then update the project again. This is possible thanks to Git's non-linear development tendency. Git has features specifically designed for visualising and navigating a non-linear development history, and it facilitates quick branching and merging. Git makes the important assumption that changes are merged more often than they are written. Git maintains a Tree form to represent the project's current state. Any time a new branch is introduced to the tree, it is further merged with the finished project.
- Git gives users the option to work on a line apart from the primary project files. These paths are known as branches. Git offers the ability to modify a project without affecting the original version thanks to branches. A version's production-ready code will always be found in the master branch. On the branches, any new feature can be tried out and improved before being merged with the master branch. A few simple [Git commands](https://www.interviewbit.com/blog/git-commands/) can help you simply branch and merge your code. In accordance with the needs of the user, a project may have n different branches in a single version.
- While cloning is being done, Git stores all the data from the central repository on to the local repository. The data in the central repository could be extremely large because there could be hundreds of people working on the same project. It's possible to worry that copying that much data to local workstations will cause a system crash, but Git has already solved this issue. Git adheres to the lossless compression standard, which compresses the data and stores it in the local repository using the least amount of space possible. It uses the reverse procedure whenever this data is required, which conserves a lot of memory.
- It is much more efficient to fetch data from the local repository rather than doing the same from the remote repository because Git stores all the data related to a project in the local repository by the process of cloning. Git handles huge projects effectively because, in comparison to other version control systems, it is extremely quick and scalable. A local repository can be fetched from around 100 times faster than a remote server could. Git is an order of magnitude faster than other VCS tools, or roughly 10 times faster, according to a Mozilla test. This is due to the fact that Git is actually written in C, a language that, in contrast to other languages, is highly similar to machine code and, as a result, speeds up processing significantly.
- Git is a distributed version control system that is open-source, free, and made to manage projects of all sizes quickly and effectively. Because it allows users to alter its source code to suit their needs, it is known as open-source software. Git is open-source software that offers these functionalities for free and is even better than other Version Control Systems, which charge for features like repository space, code privacy, accuracy, and speed, among others. Git's open-source nature makes it possible for many individuals to work on the same project simultaneously and collaborate effectively. Git is therefore regarded as the top version control system currently in use.
- The data of the central repository is constantly being backed up in each collaborator's local repository by providing a central repository that is being copied each time a User conducts the Pull action. As a result, even if the main server crashes, the data may always be recovered using any local machine owned by the developer. Any of the numerous partners can retrieve the data once the Central Server has been fully repaired. Since the last developer to work on the project will undoubtedly have the most recent version of the project on their local workstation, there is very little chance that the data won't be available to any developer. The same is true for the client. A developer may quickly get the data from the Central repository and receive the most recent version of the same on their local system if they lose their data due to a technical error or any other unanticipated circumstances. As a result, pushing data to the main repository increases the dependability of working with Git.
- Each collaborator's contributions to the local copy of the developer are tracked by Git. Every time a push operation is carried out, a log file is kept and pushed to the central repository. Therefore, if a problem develops, the developer can quickly track it down and solve it. Git stores all of the records in the form of objects in the Hash using the SHA1 algorithm. Using these hash keys, each object communicates with the others. A 14-digit Hex code is generated from the commit object using the cryptographic technique SHA1. The record of every commit made by every developer is helpfully stored. As a result, what has caused the task to fail is easily diagnosable.
- Git is offered without charge because it is made accessible under the General Public's License (GPL). Git makes a local copy of the central repository; as a result, all developer actions are carried out locally before being pushed to the central repository. Pushing is only carried out when the local version is flawless and prepared to be pushed on the main server. On the central server, no testing is done with the files. This helps to significantly reduce the cost of expensive servers. There is no need for big equipment on the server side because all of the labour-intensive work is done on the client side.

## Workflow of Git:

**First step: Edit files**

You will generate the very first file in your new project if it is one. We will create a plain text file called chapter1 and place it in the novel project folder. Either a text editor or the terminal can be used for this. On our example, we execute it by entering touch chapter1.txt in the terminal.

You may change some of your current files, add new files, or remove old ones if you already have a project.

We can use the git status command after that. This command will inform us of the current conditions in both our working directory and staging area, as well as any discrepancies that may exist.

![command](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/hujoijjcocybt1hc2njq.png)
 

In our example, we created a brand-new project and only added one new file. Git notifies us that we have an untracked file in our working directory when we use the git status command, and that we should use the git add command to include it in the content that will be committed. We now go on to step 2.

![step 2](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/6h86q6qvk374amijt3ib.png)
 
**Step second: Include Files in the Staging Area**

In order to add new or modified files to the staging area, we can use the git add command. Simply be careful not to add those specific files to the staging area if we decide we don't want to include some of the files we updated in our next commit.

![command](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/ptnt1v06xzkoqm0ofwrs.png)
 
In this example, we use the git add command and the file's name to add the single file we have in our project to the staging area. Git will then inform us that we have added our file to the staging area if we use the git status command.

![example](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/2mxrvk4t3ymelwwdat1p.png)
 

Another crucial point to remember is that files do not transfer from the working directory to the staging area. The staging area receives a copy of the files from the working directory.

**Step third: Make a Commit**

Finally, we use the git commit command with the -m option and a commit message, such as git commit -m "this is the first commit," to make the commit.

![command](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/21q1rb3sq4dm8kfyvzrm.png) 

The git log command may then be used to list every commit that has been made to our project in reverse chronological order. In our illustration, there is only one commit.

![example](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/auyhpqnh9obw34mcl84e.png)

We have now entered our project's first commit! In other words, we have a copy of our project's initial draft stored. The commit has a commit hash of 40 characters. A commit hash is a string of 40 characters and digits that serves as the commit's name or identifier. We may also view details like the commit message, the author of the commit, and the date and time of the commit.

## How does Git Differ from GitHub?
 
It's a frequent assumption that using Git or GitHub will result in a similar experience. However, any developer will tell you that these two things are quite different. One is that they serve various objectives and carry out distinct tasks. even though they are both owned by the same corporation (despite the name). What precisely are Git and GitHub, and how are they different from one another in terms of software tools and services?

Let's delve deeper into the debate between [Git and GitHub](https://www.interviewbit.com/blog/git-vs-github/).


- A piece of software is called Git. An online service is GitHub.
- Command-line software is called Git. An interface with graphics is GitHub.
- The system has a locally installed copy of Git. GitHub is accessible online.
- Linux is responsible for maintaining Git. Microsoft manages GitHub.
- Git is primarily concerned with sharing and version control. The primary goal of GitHub is to host centralised source code.
- Git is a version control programme used to keep track of source code evolution. Git repositories can be hosted on GitHub.
- In 2005, Git was initially made available. In 2008, GitHub was introduced.
- User management is not a feature of Git. A user management function is already present in GitHub.
- Open-source licences apply to Git. There are free and paid tiers on GitHub.
- Git has a simple configuration for external tools. An active tool integration market is present on GitHub.
- Git offers the Git Gui Desktop interface. GitHub offers GitHub Desktop, a desktop user interface.
- Git has competition from CVS, Azure DevOps Server, Subversion, Mercurial, and other products. Competitors of GitHub include GitLab, Git Bucket, AWS Code Commit, etc.

## Conclusion: 
So, all things considered, what's the difference between Git and GitHub? Git, to put it simply, is a version control system that enables you to manage and keep track of the history of your source code. Manage Git repositories using GitHub, a cloud-based hosting service. Git-based open-source projects can be managed more effectively using GitHub if you have any. After all, naming conventions aren't always obvious in the realm of programming. Because of this, it's important to understand the relationships and distinctions between Git and GitHub, which have similar names. Git and GitHub both offer programmers useful version-control features so they may work on ongoing coding projects without worrying about breaking anything. Simply put, GitHub goes a little bit farther than Git in that it provides more tools and capabilities in addition to an online repository for storing and working on projects.