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Kunal '
Kunal '

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Inside Git: How It Works and the Role of the .git Folder

#webdev #programming #git #github

Most if the developers uses Git everyday doing - git init , git add , git commit but very few of them knows how the git actually handle all these commit internally

In this blog , we'll look inside Git , how it works internally , and explore the important role of .git folder

What is Git? ( Quick Recap )

Git is a version control system that helps developer track changes, collaborate and manage project history efficiently.

If you want to know further about Git you can read πŸ‘‡ this blog too.

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Git for Beginners: Basics and Essential Commands

Kunal ' ・ Dec 28 '25

#git #github #webdev #programming

How Git Works (Internal View)

As you know , Git works in three main areas:

1. Working Directory - Your actual project files
2. Staging Area - Where changes are prepared
3. Repository - Where Git permananetly stores snapshot

Everytime you commit , Git :

  • Takes a snapshot of all tracked files

  • Stores it safely inside .git directory

  • Links commits together

Git internal

The Heart of Git : The .git Folder

When you run :

git init
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Git creates a hidden folder inside your root folder. Believe me, it’s there β€” you just can’t see it.

πŸ‘‰This folder is the entire brain of Git
If its deleted, your project is no longer a Git repository

What's inside the .git Folder ?

Lets see whats inside our Git folder πŸ‘‡

Git inside

πŸ‘‰ You can also see this just simply do

cd .\.git\
ls
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Here are the most important parts :

  1. objects/ - Where Everything is Stored

Git internal

This folder stores all Git data :

  • Commits

  • Files

  • Directory structures

git objects

Note :- git log shows only commit objects , while .git/objects stores commit trees and blobs which is why more directories exist than commits

  1. refs/ - Branch & Tag Pointers

git refs

This folder keeps references to:

  • Branches (refs/heads) :- Points to the lastest commit of that branch

  • Tags (refs/tags) :- Tags mark a specific commit

Each branch is just a pointer to a commit hash.

git refs

  1. HEAD - Where you are right now

The HEAD file tells Git :

  • Which branch you are on

  • Which commit is currently checked out

git HEAD

  1. index - The Staging Area

This file stores :

  • What you added using git add

  • What will go into the next commit

it acts as a bridge between working directory and repository.

  1. config - Repository Settings

Contains :

  • Remote URLs

  • User configurations

  • Repo-specific settings

git config

How a Commit Works Internally

First , we have to look whats inside our commit that makes Git easy to track changes and mark the changes.

git commit

Now understand when you run

// Initialize git repository
git init

// Stage changes
git add .

// Commit the staged changes
git commit -m "message"
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Git does this :

  • Initializing git to your repository

  • git add stores it as a Blob object in .git/objects/

  • git commit -m "message" builds a tree object

  • Now Git creates a commit object containing πŸ‘‡

  1. Pointer yo the root tree
  2. Pointer to parent commit
  3. Author & committer info
  4. Timestamp
  5. Commit message

git commit

Image credit :- Photo by freeCodeCamp

Final Thoughts

Git may look simple on the surface, but internally its a powerful database . The .git folder is not just a config folder , its the entire history and structure of your project.

Thanks for reading ! if enjoyed this blog , you can read more on this πŸ‘‡

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Kunal '

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