Learn Git in 15 Minutes: Quick Start Guide

If you're working on any software project, knowing Git is non-negotiable. It’s the most popular version control system developers use to track changes, collaborate with others, and avoid breaking things.

You don’t need to memorize everything to start using Git. In this guide, you'll learn the most essential Git commands and concepts to get you productive fast.

What Is Git?

Git is a tool that tracks the history of your project. You can go back to previous versions, work on multiple features at the same time, and collaborate without fear of losing code.

Think of it as your project's time machine.

Install Git (If You Haven’t Yet)

Visit https://git-scm.com/downloads and install Git for your OS. After installing, confirm it works:

git --version

Set Your Identity

The first time you use Git, configure your name and email:

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

Create or Clone a Repository

A repository (or repo) is where Git tracks your code.

To start a new one:

git init

To clone an existing repo:

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

Track Changes in Files

After editing files, check what's changed:

git status

To stage a file:

git add filename

To stage all files:

git add .

Then commit your changes:

git commit -m "Add feature or fix bug"

Check History

To view previous commits:

git log

Use the arrow keys to scroll and press q to exit.

Push to GitHub

To send your commits to a remote repo:

git push origin main

If it's your first push:

git push --set-upstream origin main

Pull Latest Changes

To fetch and merge changes from the remote:

git pull

Branching Basics

Branches let you work on features without affecting the main codebase.

Create a branch:

git checkout -b new-feature

Switch back to main:

git checkout main

Merge your feature:

git merge new-feature

Delete the branch:

git branch -d new-feature

Ignore Unwanted Files

Create a .gitignore file to skip temp or sensitive files:

node_modules/
.env
dist/

Undo Changes (Safely)

Unstage a file:

git reset filename

Discard local changes:

git checkout -- filename

Note: this will permanently remove unsaved changes.

You don’t need to master every Git command to be productive. Stick to init, add, commit, push, pull, and branch until you're comfortable.

Git is one of those tools that becomes easier with practice. This guide gives you a strong starting point to build from and avoid common mistakes as you grow.