Git & GitHub Tutorial: Beginner to Advanced

Master version control, collaboration, and advanced workflows with this in-depth Git & GitHub guide for all levels.

Introduction

Git is a distributed version control system that helps you track changes in your code and collaborate with others. GitHub is a cloud-based hosting service for Git repositories, making it easy to share, review, and manage code with teams or the open source community.

1. Git Basics (Beginner)

1.1. Installing Git

• Windows: Download Git for Windows
• Mac: brew install git (with Homebrew)
• Linux: sudo apt install git (Debian/Ubuntu)

1.2. Git Configuration

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"
git config --global core.editor "code --wait"   # Use VSCode as editor

1.3. Creating a Repository

git init my-project
cd my-project

This creates a new folder my-project with a Git repository.

1.4. Basic Workflow

1. Edit or add files in your project directory.
2. Stage changes: git add filename or git add .
3. Commit changes: git commit -m "Describe your changes"
4. View history: git log

1.5. Cloning a Repository

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

1.6. Checking Status

git status

1.7. Ignoring Files

Create a .gitignore file to exclude files/folders from version control.

node_modules/
.env
*.log

2. GitHub Basics (Beginner)

2.1. Creating a GitHub Account

Sign up at github.com.

2.2. Creating a Repository on GitHub

1. Click New on your GitHub dashboard.
2. Fill in repository name, description, and choose public/private.
3. Click Create repository.

2.3. Connecting Local Repo to GitHub

git remote add origin https://github.com/username/repo.git
git push -u origin main   # or master

2.4. Forking & Pull Requests

• Fork: Copy someone else's repo to your account.
• Pull Request (PR): Propose changes to the original repo.

1. Fork a repo on GitHub.
2. Clone your fork, make changes, push to your fork.
3. On GitHub, click New pull request to propose your changes.

2.5. Collaborators & Permissions

• Add collaborators in repo settings to allow others to push changes.
• Use Issues and Projects for project management.

3. Intermediate Git & GitHub

3.1. Branching & Merging

git branch feature-x         # Create branch
git checkout feature-x      # Switch to branch
# or: git switch feature-x
git merge feature-x         # Merge into current branch
git branch -d feature-x     # Delete branch

3.2. Resolving Merge Conflicts

1. Git will mark conflicts in files.
2. Edit files to resolve conflicts, then:

git add conflicted-file
git commit

3.3. Stashing Changes

git stash           # Save uncommitted changes
git stash pop       # Restore them later

3.4. Undoing Changes

• Unstage file: git reset HEAD filename
• Discard changes: git checkout -- filename
• Amend last commit: git commit --amend

3.5. Working with Remotes

git remote -v                # List remotes
git remote add upstream URL  # Add another remote
git fetch upstream           # Fetch changes
git merge upstream/main      # Merge upstream changes

4. Advanced Git & GitHub

4.1. Rebase

git checkout feature-x
git rebase main

Rebase rewrites commit history for a cleaner project history.

4.2. Interactive Rebase

git rebase -i HEAD~5

Squash, edit, or reorder commits interactively.

4.3. Cherry-pick

git cherry-pick <commit-hash>

Apply a specific commit from another branch.

4.4. Tags & Releases

git tag v1.0.0
git push origin v1.0.0

Tags mark specific points in history (e.g., releases).

4.5. Submodules

git submodule add https://github.com/other/repo.git path/to/submodule
git submodule update --init --recursive

Include other repositories inside your repo.

4.6. GitHub Actions (CI/CD)

• Automate tests, builds, and deployments with GitHub Actions.
• Example: .github/workflows/ci.yml

4.7. Security & Secrets

• Never commit secrets or passwords.
• Use GitHub Secrets for CI/CD workflows.
• Use git-crypt or git-secret for encrypting files.

5. Tips, Best Practices & Resources

• Write clear commit messages: feat: add login page
• Pull before you push: git pull origin main
• Use git log --oneline --graph --all for a visual history.
• Keep your branches up to date with main.
• Review pull requests before merging.
• Use GitHub Desktop or GitKraken for GUI.
• Read the Pro Git Book (free online).

6. FAQ

Q: What is the difference between Git and GitHub?
Q: What is a pull request?
Q: How do I undo a commit?
Q: How do I contribute to open source?
Q: How do I resolve merge conflicts?