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Getting Started with Git and GitHub

A hands-on tutorial covering Git fundamentals and GitHub workflows, from your first commit to pull requests and branching strategies.

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Why Git?

Git is the version control system that powers modern software development. Whether you’re working solo or on a team of hundreds, Git tracks every change to your codebase and lets you collaborate without stepping on each other’s toes.

Setting Up

First, install Git and configure your identity:

# Install Git (macOS)
brew install git

# Configure your identity
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"

# Set default branch name
git config --global init.defaultBranch main

Core Concepts

Repository

A repository (repo) is a directory tracked by Git. Initialize one with:

mkdir my-project
cd my-project
git init

The Three States

Files in Git exist in three states:

  1. Modified — you’ve changed the file but haven’t staged it
  2. Staged — you’ve marked the file to go into your next commit
  3. Committed — the data is safely stored in your local database

Basic Workflow

# Check status of your files
git status

# Stage specific files
git add index.html style.css

# Stage all changes
git add .

# Commit with a message
git commit -m "Add homepage layout and styles"

# View commit history
git log --oneline

Branching

Branches let you work on features in isolation:

# Create and switch to a new branch
git checkout -b feature/user-auth

# List all branches
git branch -a

# Switch back to main
git checkout main

# Merge a feature branch
git merge feature/user-auth

# Delete a merged branch
git branch -d feature/user-auth

Working with GitHub

Connecting to a Remote

# Add a remote repository
git remote add origin https://github.com/username/repo.git

# Push your code
git push -u origin main

# Pull latest changes
git pull origin main

Pull Request Workflow

The standard collaboration flow on GitHub:

  1. Fork the repository (if you don’t have write access)
  2. Create a feature branch
  3. Make your changes and commit
  4. Push the branch to GitHub
  5. Open a Pull Request (PR)
  6. Get code review and address feedback
  7. Merge the PR

Useful GitHub Features

  • Issues — track bugs and feature requests
  • Actions — automate CI/CD pipelines
  • Projects — organize work with kanban boards
  • Releases — tag and distribute versions

Common Commands Cheatsheet

# Undo last commit (keep changes)
git reset --soft HEAD~1

# Discard all local changes
git checkout -- .

# Stash changes temporarily
git stash
git stash pop

# View diff of staged changes
git diff --staged

# Rebase onto main
git rebase main

# Interactive rebase (squash commits)
git rebase -i HEAD~3

Next Steps

Once you’re comfortable with the basics, explore topics like rebasing strategies, Git hooks, signed commits, and monorepo tooling. Git is deep — but the fundamentals covered here will carry you through 90% of daily development work.