Using Git Locally

Git jargon #

Git uses very particular vocabulary, and familiarity with it will make it easier for you to communicate with your team members and the online community. Here are some common terms,

Repository #

To put it simply, a project is a repository. Git repositories or ‘repos’ contain all of the code and version history of a certain project.

Working directory #

The working directory is the folder on your local computer where your project exists. Git would track any changes made within that folder.

Commit #

Git does not save or store any changes made to the files within your working directory until you ‘commit’ it. Commits save the changes you made to Git itself.

Staging #

However, suppose you made changes to 8 files within your working directory, but you only want to commit 4 of them because the other 4 are buggy or not complete yet. How do you commit only 4? Well, you put them in the ‘staging area’ after which you commit. Staging a file means that you have marked it for a commit.

Checking if Git is installed #

If you’re following along on a local set up (you don’t have to, but just in case you are), start by checking if Git exists on your system with the following command.