DEV Community

Cover image for Inside Git: How It Works and the Role of the .git Folder
Kunal
Kunal

Posted on • Edited on

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

#git #github #programming #webdev

Most developers use Git every day, doing - git init , git add, git commit but very few of them know how git actually handles all these commits internally

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

What is Git? (Quick Recap)

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

If you want to learn more about Git you can read ๐Ÿ‘‡ this blog too.

kunal_dev

Git for Beginners: Basics and Essential Commands

Kunal ใƒป 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 permanently stores snapshot

Every time you commit, Git :

  • Takes a snapshot of all tracked files

  • Stores it safely inside the .git directory

  • Links commits together

Git internal

The Heart of Git: The .git Folder

When you run:

git init
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Git creates a hidden folder inside the root folder. Believe me, itโ€™s thereโ€”you just canโ€™t see it.

๐Ÿ‘‰This folder is the entire brain of Git.
If it's deleted, your project is no longer a Git repository.

What's inside the .git Folder?

Lets see what's inside our Git folder ๐Ÿ‘‡

Git inside

๐Ÿ‘‰ You can also see this-just do

cd .\.git\
ls
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

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 latest 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 โ€” 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 โ€” 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 the working directory and the repository.

  1. config โ€” Repository Settings

Contains:

  • Remote URLs

  • User configurations

  • Repo-specific settings

git config

How a Commit Works Internally

First, we have to look at what's inside our commit that makes Git easy to track and mark changes.

git commit

Now, understand when you run

// Initialize a Git repository
git init

// Stage changes
git add .

// Commit the staged changes
git commit -m "message"
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Git does this:

  • Initializing git in 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 ๐Ÿ‘‡

  1. Pointer to the root tree
  2. Pointer to the 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 ๐Ÿ‘‡

kunal_dev image

Kunal

My tokens expired idk how to write bio. ๐Ÿ˜ช๐Ÿซ 

Top comments (0)