Demo 2 Basic Git Commands

Learn how to use Git for version control by walking through a simple mock project. We’ll cover:

Initializing a Git repository
Staging and committing files
Inspecting commit history

By the end of this guide, you’ll understand the core Git commands for day-to-day workflows.

Initialize a Git Repository
Stage and Commit greetings.txt
Add and Commit bye.txt
Quick Reference: Common Git Commands
Links and References

1. Initialize a Git Repository

Start by creating a new directory and turning it into a Git repository:

mkdir hello-git
cd hello-git
git init

You should see:

Initialized empty Git repository in /path/to/hello-git/.git/

Now you’re inside a Git-controlled project. All subsequent Git commands will operate here.

2. Stage and Commit `greetings.txt`

First, create a file named greetings.txt:

nano greetings.txt

The image shows a GNU Nano text editor screen with a new file named "greetings.txt" open. The screen displays various command options at the bottom.

Check the repository status to see untracked files:

git status

Sample output:

On branch master
No commits yet
Untracked files:
  (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)
        greetings.txt

Stage and commit your changes:

git add greetings.txt
git commit -m "Add greetings.txt with initial message"

View the commit history:

git log

Sample output:

commit eafd1cdd14d46c191c7aaf2675b5aef6c418c17 (HEAD -> master)
Author: you <you@example.com>
Date:   Sat Sep 24 06:15:31 2022 +0530

    Add greetings.txt with initial message

A clear, descriptive commit message helps you and your team understand the purpose of each change.

3. Add and Commit `bye.txt`

Repeat the workflow to add a second file:

Create bye.txt:
nano bye.txt
Confirm it’s untracked:
git status
Stage all changes at once:
git add .
Commit with a message:
git commit -m "Add bye.txt"
Review the full commit history:
git log

You’ll see both commits listed, with the most recent on top.

Always run git status before committing to avoid accidentally omitting or including unwanted files.

Quick Reference: Common Git Commands

Command	Use Case	Example
`git init`	Create a new Git repository	Initialize version control in a project
`git status`	Show untracked, staged, and changed files	Verify your working directory state
`git add <file>`	Stage changes for the next commit	`git add greetings.txt`
`git add .`	Stage all changes	Stage new, modified, and deleted files
`git commit -m "<message>"`	Commit staged changes with a message	`git commit -m "Add new feature"`
`git log`	View commit history	Display commits in reverse chronological order

Links and References

Start practicing these commands today to build a solid foundation in version control!

Introduction

Open Source

Getting Started with Open source

Open Source Projects

Starting Your Open Source Project

Bonus - OSS Communities

Demo 2 Basic Git Commands

Table of Contents

1. Initialize a Git Repository

2. Stage and Commit `greetings.txt`

3. Add and Commit `bye.txt`

Quick Reference: Common Git Commands

Links and References

Watch Video

​Table of Contents

​1. Initialize a Git Repository

​2. Stage and Commit greetings.txt

​3. Add and Commit bye.txt

​Quick Reference: Common Git Commands

​Links and References

Watch Video

Table of Contents

1. Initialize a Git Repository

2. Stage and Commit `greetings.txt`

3. Add and Commit `bye.txt`

Quick Reference: Common Git Commands

Links and References