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saiyam gupta
saiyam gupta

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Git for Beginners

#git #tutorial #beginners

Git for Beginners: Simple, Clear, and Practical Guide

If you are learning development, Git is not optional — it is essential. Don’t worry though. Git is much simpler than it looks once you understand the basics.

This blog explains Git in a human, easy, and practical way, with simple examples you can actually use.

What is Git?

Git is a tool that helps you save, track, and manage changes in your code.

In simple words:

Git remembers every version of your project so you can move forward or go back anytime.

Think of Git like:

  • A save button with history
  • A backup for your code
  • A tool that lets many people work together safely

Why Git is Used?

Git makes a developer’s life easier.

  • You can undo mistakes
  • You can see who changed what
  • You can work on new features without breaking existing code
  • You can collaborate with a team smoothly

That’s why almost every company uses Git.

Core Git Concepts (Very Simple)

Repository (Repo)

A repository is just your project folder that Git is tracking.

Inside it, Git stores all change history.

Commit

A commit is a saved version of your code.

You can think of it as:

“I like the current state of my project. Save it.”

Example:

Added homepage UI
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Branch

A branch is a separate copy of your code to work safely.

  • main → stable code
  • feature-login → new work

Branches let you experiment without fear.

HEAD

HEAD tells Git where you are right now.

It points to the current commit you are working on.

Git’s 3 Important Areas 

Working Directory → Staging Area → Repository
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  • Working Directory: where you edit files
  • Staging Area: where you prepare files
  • Repository: where commits are stored

Common Git Commands (You’ll Use These Daily)

Start Git in a Project 

git init
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Check What’s Changed 

git status
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Add Files to Git 

git add index.html
git add .
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Save Your Changes 

git commit -m "Initial setup"
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See Past Saves 

git log --oneline
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A Real Developer Workflow (From Scratch) 

mkdir my-project
cd my-project
git init
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Create a file → edit it → then:

git add .
git commit -m "Add first version"
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Make changes → repeat the same steps.

This is exactly how developers use Git daily.

How Git History Looks 

Commit A → Commit B → Commit C (HEAD)
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With branches:

main ── A ── B
          \
           C ── D (feature)
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Project Structure (Simple View) 

Project Folder
 ├── Your files (working directory)
 └── .git (Git history)
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Final Thoughts

Git is not hard — it’s just new.

If you understand:

  • what a commit is
  • how to add and save changes
  • and the basic workflow

You already know 80% of Git.

Practice a little every day, and Git will feel natural very quickly.

Happy coding 🚀

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