Chapter 4. Edit & Commit

Once you launch a project, you can start writing and editing your code. Git allows you to track changes effectively by committing different versions of your code into the Local Repository. In this chapter, we'll cover essential Git commands that are part of the regular workflow for editing and saving files.

What We Cover in This Chapter

The following topics are covered in this chapter:

Git Regular Workflow – Edit & Commit

In this section, we'll explore the fundamental cycle of editing and saving code using Git. You'll learn about key Git commands that help you manage version history efficiently.

Edit and Commit Overview (1)

Git uses a three-stage architecture to track changes. In this section, we’ll provide an overview of how the working tree, staging area, and local repository interact when making commits.

Add Files to Staging Area – git add

The git add command is used to move changes from the working directory to the staging area. In this section, we'll explain how to add specific files, entire directories, or all changes at once.

Commit Files – git commit

Once files are staged, they can be saved in the Local Repository using the git commit command. We’ll cover how to write meaningful commit messages and use different commit options.

HEAD and INDEX

We'll introduce two key Git concepts: HEAD, which refers to the latest commit, and INDEX, also known as the staging area, where changes are prepared before committing.

Check Status of Working Tree and Staging Area – git status

Using the git status command, you can check the state of your working directory and staging area. This helps track which files are modified, staged, or untracked.

Check Commit Histories – git log

The git log command allows you to review previous commits. We'll explore how to use different options to simplify commit history and visualize branch structures.

Check Differences – git diff

We'll examine how the git diff command can be used to compare changes between the working tree, staging area, and commits, helping you review modifications before committing.

Restore Files to Working Tree – git restore

If you need to revert changes in the working directory, git restore can be used to return files to a previous state, whether from the latest commit or a specific commit.

Undo Changes – git reset

The git reset command is useful for undoing changes by resetting the staging area or commit history. We'll discuss different reset options and their impact.

Delete Files – git rm

To remove files from the working directory and the repository, you can use the git rm command. This section explains how to delete files and commit the changes.

Edit and Commit Overview (2)

Before moving to the next chapter on branching, we’ll introduce another diagram that visualizes how Git handles edits and commits, helping you better understand how branches work.

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