Top-5 Essential Git Skills for Every Developer

Introduction

In the world of computer science, having a solid grasp of programming languages, algorithms, object-oriented programming, databases, and security is crucial. However, one critical skill is often overlooked. It is source control. In this article, we’ll explore how Git, one of the most popular source control tools, can help manage changes in code through time. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced programmer, this article will provide valuable insights into the world of source control and Git.

If you want to know more about Git, you can start your learning journey today with the new JetBrains Academy track on Hyperskill — Quick start with Git.

At its core, Git works by creating a repository, a directory, on your computer where you can store and manage code. Whenever you make changes to the code, Git tracks those changes and allows you to easily revert to previous versions if necessary.

Why do developers use Git?

One of the key features of Git is its branching system. When you create a new branch, Git virtually creates a copy of the code that you can work on independently without affecting the master branch, the main version of your code. This feature makes it easy to experiment with new ideas or features without risking a stable version of your code.

Git also allows you to collaborate with other developers on the same project. By hosting your repo on a platform like GitHub or Bitbucket, multiple developers can work on the same piece of code simultaneously. Git makes it easy to merge changes made by different developers into a single, cohesive codebase.

Main Git features:

• Version control: Git allows you to easily see the history of changes in your code and revert to previous versions if necessary.
• Staging area: Git uses a staging area to help you keep track of changes before you commit them to the repo.
• Tags: Git allows you to create tags to mark specific versions of your code that can be useful for keeping track of releases or major milestones in your project.
• Branch merging: Git makes it easy to merge changes made in different branches into a single branch.

Git is a powerful tool, essential for any programmer, regardless of experience. While it may be considered a crucial skill set for beginners, seasoned developers can also benefit from refreshing their knowledge or filling any gaps.

Essential Git skills you need to acquire:

• Using Git with a remote repository: Git can be used with a remote repository, such as GitHub or Bitbucket. Knowing how to push changes into a remote repository, pull changes from a remote repository, and resolve conflicts with remote changes is essential for collaborating with other developers.
• Cloning repositories: Before you can start working on a Git repository, you’ll need to clone it to your local machine. Knowing how to use the git clone command is essential for a good start with Git.
• Branching: Git makes it easy to work on multiple versions of your code at the same time using branches. Knowing how to create and switch between branches, as well as how to merge changes between branches, is a fundamental Git skill.
• Committing changes: Git uses commits to track changes to your code. Knowing how to create well-formatted and descriptive commit messages is essential for keeping track of changes to your code.
• Resolving merge conflicts: Merge conflicts may occur when Git is unable to automatically merge changes into different branches. Knowing how to resolve merge conflicts manually is an important skill for any Git user.

With the new JetBrains Academy track on Hyperskill — Quick start with Git you will:

• Learn to use basic Git commands
• Install and setup Git on your computer
• Work with local and remote repositories
• Find out how to use the most popular code hosting platform — GitHub.

Self-study made easy with Hyperskill

Hyperskill is a project-based learning platform that offers a personalized curriculum and a variety of tracks to help people from different backgrounds gain market-relevant skills through online education. One of our main content providers is JetBrains. Together, we are working on JetBrains Academy — a learning resource for future developers integrated with JetBrains IDEs.

Hyperskill offers unique features to help you learn theory and practice your skills:

• Get a personalized study plan perfectly tailored to your skills and includes everything you need to reach your learning goal;
• Put your learning into practice by writing fully functional applications, such as a chatbot or a code-sharing platform, and get real-life development experience;
• Work with JetBrains IDEs, which offer you the opportunity to get experience with professional development tools while you learn to program.
• Receive a certificate of completion after finishing a track (if track is out of beta) to show off your newly acquired skills and increase your chances of getting noticed by recruiters.

Hyperskill is an ideal platform for learning computer science, programming languages, and mathematics. You can also build up a portfolio with your first projects. Start your journey today! If you have any inquiries or would like to share your thoughts, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or reach out to us at hello@hyperskill.org

Your Hyperskill team