93 lines
3.3 KiB
Markdown
93 lines
3.3 KiB
Markdown
# Git Basics
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Now that you've made your first edit, let's understand what Git actually does and why it's so helpful for collaborative work.
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## What is Git?
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Think of Git as a sophisticated "undo" system that:
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- **Tracks every change** to every file
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- **Remembers who** made each change and **when**
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- **Allows multiple people** to work on the same project without conflicts
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- **Keeps a complete history** so nothing is ever truly lost
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## Key Concepts (Simplified)
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### Repository ("Repo")
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A repository is like a project folder that Git watches. Our website is one repository.
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### Commit
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A commit is like saving a snapshot of your work. Each commit includes:
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- What files were changed
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- Who made the changes
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- When the changes were made
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- A message describing the changes
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### Branch
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A branch is like a parallel version of the project where you can make changes safely. Think of it as making a copy, editing the copy, then merging the good changes back to the original.
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### Pull Request
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A pull request is like saying "Hey, I made some improvements - would you like to include them?" It's a way to propose changes and discuss them before they become part of the main project.
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## The Git Workflow (What You Just Did)
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When you made your first edit, here's what happened:
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1. **You created a branch** - A safe copy to work on
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2. **You made changes** - Edited the file
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3. **You committed** - Saved a snapshot with a description
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4. **You created a pull request** - Asked for your changes to be reviewed
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5. **Someone will review** - A team member checks your work
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6. **Changes get merged** - If approved, your changes join the main project
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## Why This System Works
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### Safety
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- Multiple people can work simultaneously without breaking each other's work
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- Every change is tracked, so mistakes can be undone
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- Changes are reviewed before going live
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### Transparency
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- Anyone can see what changed and why
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- The history shows how the project evolved
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- Credit is given to each contributor
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### Collaboration
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- Team members can suggest improvements to your changes
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- Discussions happen around specific edits
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- Knowledge is shared through the review process
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## Common Git Terms
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| Term | Simple Explanation |
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|------|-------------------|
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| **Clone** | Make a copy of the entire project on your computer |
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| **Fork** | Make your own copy of someone else's project |
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| **Push** | Send your changes from your computer to the server |
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| **Pull** | Get the latest changes from the server to your computer |
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| **Merge** | Combine changes from one branch into another |
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| **Conflict** | When two people changed the same thing - needs manual fixing |
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## What's Next?
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Now that you understand the basics, you can either:
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- Continue making edits through the web interface (easiest)
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- Learn to [Clone and Edit Locally](local-editing.md) for more advanced work
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## Video Tutorial
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*[Administrator: Add a video tutorial explaining Git concepts with visual examples and analogies]*
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## Remember
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- **Git protects you** - Your changes are safe and reviewable
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- **Mistakes are fixable** - Nothing is ever permanently lost
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- **Learning takes time** - Don't worry about understanding everything at once
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- **Practice helps** - The more you use it, the more natural it becomes
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The most important thing to remember: Git is designed to help people work together safely. All the complexity exists to prevent problems and make collaboration possible.
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