Getting by in Git

Git is the source code management system used for the Linux kernel and many other highly complex projects. It was written by Linux Torvalds after some controversy over the proprietary Bitkeeper program that used to manage the Linux kernel.

I've needed to upgrade my skills recently to use git in place of subversion because that is what my shop decided to use. I've moved all my Rails code into a remote git server and so far, so good.

One improvement is it has fewer "droppings" than subversion. There is no hidden .svn directory in each directory with source code. Only a single .git directory at the root of the project, plus a .gitignore file for files you don't want git to track.

Initialize project tracking
git init

Check out an existing project from remote server
git clone ssh://server/git/project

Add a file for git to track
git add

Add all files from this directory and below for git to track
git add .

Commit all files to local repository
git commit -a -m "message"

Undo changes to a file (re-check out from repository)
git checkout --

Pull files from remote repository and merge with local repository
git pull

Push files to remote repository (must commit first)
git push

Move file or directory to new location
git mv path destination

Remove file or directory from the working tree
git rm path

To create a remote repository from an existing project takes several steps
cd /tmp
git clone --bare /path/to/project (creates a /tmp/project.git directory)
scp project.git to remote server
cd /path/to/project
git remote add origin ssh://server/git/project
git config branch.master.remote origin
git config branch.master.merge refs/heads/master