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Emma Richardson
Emma Richardson

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15 Essential Git Terms You Should Know as a Developer

Git is the most popular “Version Control System (VCS)” that helps developers track and manage changes to code over time.

Git keeps every version of your project safe, helps you try new ideas, and makes teamwork easier. It’s like having a time machine for your project that lets you save, share, and go back anytime.

Knowing the common Git terminology makes it easier to understand and work with it.
Here’s a list of 15 specialized Git terms:
1. Repository (Repo): A storage location for your project’s files and history.
2. Commit: A snapshot of changes in the repository, typically with a message describing the update.
3. Branch: A parallel version of the repository, allowing development without impacting the main codebase.
4. Merge: The action of integrating changes from one branch into another.
5. Staging Area: A space where changes are prepared before committing.
6. HEAD: A pointer to the current branch or commit that you’re working on.
7. Master/Main Branch: The default or primary branch where the completed, stable code resides.
8. Checkout: A command to switch branches or restore files to a specific state.
9. Clone: A local copy of a remote repository created with the git clone command.
10. Remote: A reference to a version of the repository hosted on a server.
11. Fetch: A command that downloads commits, files, and refs from a remote repository but doesn’t merge changes.
12. Pull: A command to fetch and merge changes from a remote repository to your local branch.
13. Push: A command that uploads your commits to a remote repository.
14. Origin: The default alias for the original remote repository when cloning.
15. Fork: A copy of a repository, usually to develop changes independently.
If you are going to learn more about Git I recommend you to check out my other articles about Git concepts:
https://levelup.gitconnected.com/git-basic-concepts-explained-for-noobs-cd1f52d02c6e
https://levelup.gitconnected.com/git-for-beginners-basic-terms-essential-commands-how-to-work-platforms-and-git-vs-github-755b55760e62

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