In this module, you will get hands-on experience working with Git and its advanced concepts.

DevOps for Developers

Git is one of the most widely used version control tools, and is something that every developer should become comfortable with. In this module, you will get hands-on experience working with Git so that when it comes time to use it, you’ll be ready.

You’ll start by learning some of the more fundamental concepts such as initializing a Git repository, adding files to a repository, and how to commit changes. You’ll also learn how to clone a repository, and how to create branching.

You’ll then make your way to some more advanced concepts like Git stash, cherry-picking, working with multiple repositories, pushing code, and a lot more.

By the end of this module, you will have a proficient and working knowledge of Git which will serve you well throughout your career.

Git and GitHub

To initialize a Git repository, run `git init` from within the root folder of the source that you want to manage.

```Shell
1	mkdir lgthw_git_basics
2	cd lgthw_git_basics
3	git init
```


This locally initializes a database in the folder `.git`. Your repository is entirely stored within this `.git` folder. To work with this repository, you don't need to worry about any other files.
>There are config files for Git, but these are global to the host. You can ignore them for now.

Have a look at the files within your `.git` folder by typing in:

```Shell
4	cd .git
5	ls
```

It’s not part of the scope of this course to go into detail about all the Git internals files seen here. You will cover some of them as you dive into the course though.

What _is_ worth being aware of here are:

- The `HEAD` file
- The `config` file

# `HEAD`

The `HEAD` file is key: it points to the current branch or commit ID you are currently on within your Git repository.

If you look at the file, you will see its contents contain the string:

`refs/heads/master`

This is an internal representation of the default `master` branch. Let’s take a look at the `HEAD` file.

```Shell
6	cat HEAD
```

Learn how to initialize a “Git repository” in your project.

Initializing Git Repository