How to Manage Git Repositories: Staging and Committing Files

Git Essentials:

Understanding Git Staging
1. Using git add Command
Committing Changes
1. Utilizing git commit Command
Reviewing Commit History
1. Using git log Command

Understanding Git Staging

Before committing changes to your repository, it's essential to stage them. Staging involves selecting the specific changes you want to include in your next commit, providing control over which modifications are grouped together. This selective process is crucial for maintaining a clean and organized commit history.

Using `git add` Command

The `git add` command plays a pivotal role in adding files or changes to the staging area. Here are common scenarios for utilizing `git add`:

Stage a Specific File:

git add filename.txt

Stage Multiple Files:

git add file1.txt file2.txt

Stage All Changes in the Current Directory:

git add .

Stage Changes Interactively:

git add -p

Example: Staging a File in Git

Consider a scenario where you have modified a file named index.html. To stage the changes, you would execute:

git add index.html

To verify which files are staged, use:

git status

This command provides a detailed overview of your working directory and staging area, highlighting the files that are ready for the next commit.

Committing Changes

After staging your changes, the next step is to commit them. A commit in Git represents a snapshot of your project at a specific point in time. Each commit is uniquely identified by a hash, and it includes metadata such as the author, date, and a descriptive message explaining the changes.

Utilizing `git commit` Command

The `git commit` command is central to saving your changes in the repository. Below are common use cases for `git commit`:

Commit with a Message:

git commit -m "Descriptive commit message"

Amend the Last Commit:

git commit --amend

Commit All Changes (Without Explicit Staging):

git commit -a -m "Commit message for all changes"

Example: Committing Changes in Git

After staging index.html, commit the changes with a meaningful message:

git commit -m "Refactor homepage layout in index.html"

This command creates a new commit, adding it to the repository’s history.

Reviewing Commit History

The `git log` command is an essential tool for reviewing the commit history of your repository. It provides a detailed account of each commit, including the commit hash, author, date, and message.

Using `git log` Command

The `git log` command offers several options to customize the output:

Basic Log Output:

git log

Limit the Number of Commits Displayed:

git log -n 5

Condensed One-Line Summary:

git log --oneline

Show Changes Introduced by Each Commit:

git log -p

Example: Viewing the Git Commit History

To view the history of your repository, simply execute:

git log

For a more compact view, you can use:

git log --oneline

This condensed format is particularly useful for quickly scanning through recent commits.