Advice for new programmers: Use git
Why version control?
- Stop losing your codeWithout version control, There are so many ways to lose your code: deleting the wrong file, closing a window when you left the changes in the undo stack, uploading the wrong file version through FTP. Sometimes this isn't a big deal, but other times it can cost hours or days of work.
- Sync your code across work stations.If you have a remote repository it's trivial to sync your code across multiple.
- Freedom to experimentA seasoned engineer once told me that git can be used like a "crash helmet". This is the most unexpected benefit. If you think you're going to try something wacky, branch and it it works, use it, if it sucks, leave it.
Install
Debian (Ubuntu/Mint/Whatever)
sudo apt-get install git
Other
If your os doesn't come with git, you can download binaries from the websiteGetting started
To start a local git repository git init
touch README.md
git add README.md
git add --all
git commit -m "What you did"
git log
Branching and merging
When experimenting, or making a new feature, its usually a good idea to create a new branch. Branching and merging with git is really easy.To make a new branch
git checkout -b newbranch
git branch
git checkout master
git merge newbranch
git branch -d newbranch
Remote account
To make your code available everywhere you have to have a remote repo. I use Github for my open source projects since the community is larger. If there is any reason you want to keep the code private (probably a good idea for in progress classes), Bitbucket offers unlimited private repos for small teams.Once you have your new repo set up you can link it to your local repo.
git remote add origin http://path/to/remote/repo
To push your code to the remote repository:
git push origin master
git add --all
git commit -m "What you did"
git push
Working on multiple machines
Once you have a remote repo you can get your code onto a new computer. On your second computer enter. git clone http://path/to/remote/repo
After making some changes and pushing to a new repo, you'll want to get your changes back onto the original computer. To do thing you have a couple options.
git pull
git fetch && git rebase
Summary
Git is super awesome. It is critical in a group context, and very useful in an individual context. I would have had a much easier time in college and early pro career, if I knew about git.Helpful applications:
bash: grb (command line utility that makes working with remote branches easier)linux: git-cola
osx: (source tree)