Git - Use Tags for Versioning and Release Management

Git tags are a powerful feature for managing versions and releases of your software projects. Tags provide a stable reference point for specific commits in your Git history, making it easy to identify and work with specific codebase versions. Here's how to use Git tags effectively:

• Create Lightweight Tags:

To create a lightweight tag that simply points to a specific commit, use the following command:

   git tag <tag-name> <commit-hash>

For example:

   git tag v1.0.0 abc1234

• Create Annotated Tags:

Annotated tags include additional information like the tagger's name, email, and message. They are more informative and are often preferred for release versions. To create an annotated tag, use the -a option:

   git tag -a <tag-name> -m "Tag message" <commit-hash>

For example:

   git tag -a v1.0.0 -m "Initial release" abc1234

• List Tags:

To list all tags in your repository, use:

   git tag

• Push Tags to Remote:

After creating tags locally, you need to push them to the remote repository to share them with others:

   git push origin <tag-name>

To push all tags at once, you can use:

   git push --tags

• Checkout Specific Tags:

To switch to a specific tagged version of your code, use:

   git checkout <tag-name>

• Delete Tags:

To delete a tag, use the following command:

   git tag -d <tag-name>

To delete a remote tag, use:

   git push origin --delete <tag-name>

Using Git tags is essential for keeping track of your software releases and version history. It helps you and your team easily identify, reference, and work with specific points in your project's development, making it a valuable part of your version control and release management strategy.