Git Basic Workflow

Initializing a Git Repo

Before using Git, we need to initialize a repository. This creates a .git folder, which acts as Git’s database for tracking changes.

mkdir test_proj 
cd test_proj
git init

Adding Files to a Repository

touch index.txt # Create a new file ( Couldve done in VScode )
git add index.txt # Tells git to start tracking files in local index

# To add multiple files at once, This stages all modified and new files in the project.
# git add .

This adds index.txt to the staging area, preparing it for a commit.

Checking the Repo

Before committing, it’s useful to check what files are being tracked and their current state.

git log # To see logs of what you commited
git status # Check a repo's status

Commiting Changes

Once files are staged, we commit them to Git’s repository. Each commit is a snapshot of the project at a certain point. The -m flag allows us to write a commit message describing the changes.

git commit -m "Initial Commit"

# Simultaneuosly Add and commit with message, helps in skipping the (git add .) step
# git commit -a -m "Another message" 

Viewing Changes

Before committing, we may want to see what modifications have been made.

git diff

This compares the working directory with the last commit, showing unstaged changes.

For staged changes (those added with git add but not yet committed):

git diff --staged