Mastering Git and GitHub CLI: A Practical Beginner’s Workshop Guide#
In modern software development, writing code is only half the job. Managing it properly is what separates beginners from professionals.
Whether you’re: - A university student working on assignments\
- Collaborating on group projects\
- Building a final year project\
- Preparing for internships\
- Contributing to open source
You must understand Git and GitHub.
This workshop-style guide walks you through: - Git fundamentals\
- GitHub integration\
- Branching and collaboration\
- GitHub CLI (gh) for professional workflows
By the end, you’ll understand how real developers work.
What is Git?#
Git is a distributed version control system.
In simple words:
Git tracks changes in your files so you can go back to any previous version at any time.
Think of Git as: - A time machine for your code\
- A history tracker\
- A collaboration tool\
- A safety net
Without Git, projects quickly become messy with multiple versions of the same file.
Why Version Control Matters#
Imagine: - You accidentally delete working code\
- Your teammate overwrites your changes\
- You introduce a bug and don’t know where
With Git, you can: - Revert to earlier commits\
- Track who made changes\
- Compare file versions\
- Safely collaborate
Version control is expected in professional environments.
Git vs GitHub#
Git GitHub
A tool A platform Works locally Cloud-based Tracks changes Hosts repositories Command-line based Web interface and collaboration tools
Git manages versions.
GitHub stores and shares them.
Installing Git#
Download from:
Verify installation:
git --version
Understanding Git Workflow#
Git has three main areas:
Working Directory → Staging Area → Repository
Initialize a Repository#
git init
Add Files to Staging#
git add filename.txt
Or:
git add .
Commit Changes#
git commit -m "Initial commit"
A commit is a snapshot of your project at a specific point in time.
Check Status#
git status
View Commit History#
git log --oneline
Branching in Git#
Branches allow you to: - Work on features separately\
- Fix bugs safely\
- Experiment without affecting main code
Create a Branch#
git branch feature-login
Switch to Branch#
git switch feature-login
Merge Branch#
git switch main
git merge feature-login
Handling Merge Conflicts#
If two people modify the same line, Git marks the conflict:
<<<<<<< HEAD
Your version
=======
Other version
>>>>>>> branch-name
Fix manually, then:
git add .
git commit -m "Resolve merge conflict"
Connecting to GitHub#
Add Remote#
git remote add origin https://github.com/username/repo.git
Push Code#
git push -u origin main
Introducing GitHub CLI (gh)#
GitHub CLI allows you to manage GitHub directly from your terminal.
Install from:
Verify:
gh --version
Authenticate:
gh auth login
Create Repository from Terminal#
gh repo create my-project --public --source=. --push
This creates the repository, connects the remote, and pushes code in one step.
Professional Workflow Example#
git checkout -b feature-login
git add .
git commit -m "Add login feature"
git push -u origin feature-login
gh pr create --fill
This reflects real-world development workflow.
Managing Issues with GH#
Create issue:
gh issue create
List issues:
gh issue list
View issue:
gh issue view 1
Best Practices#
- Commit small logical changes\
- Write meaningful commit messages\
- Use branches for features\
- Pull before pushing\
- Review code before merging
Avoid: - Pushing broken code\
- Committing unnecessary files\
- Working directly on main
