Mastering Git: Essential Tips and Tricks for Clean Code Collaboration

Understand the Core Concepts “Clean code always looks like it was written by someone who cares.” - Michael Feathers Introduction Through hands-on experience collaborating on open-source projects and team development, I've developed a practical Git workflow that enhances code quality and team efficiency. This guide shares lessons learned and specific practices for maintaining clean, manageable codebases. Note that this is not for any specific project but to build on open-source projects. Also, this article only covers the essentials of git. What is Git? Git is a distributed version control system that tracks changes in your code over time Collaboration in Git Fork repo on GitHub or create a repository for people to work on Create a codespace Invite collaborators Create a branch as the owner Decide on an issue in the repository or collaborate on a team member’s project The collaborators must use this in git: git pull origin Use the code above as often as possible to avoid merging conflicts When you finished making changes on your end: git add . # Stage changes git commit -m "message" git diff # view unstaged changes git log # view branch logs Note: before pushing the commit, make sure the message is clear, here is a short guide on how to make a commit I learned If you already committed a message, here is how to change it: git commit --amend -m "New message" Commit naming convention There are essentially 5 parts to a commit to easily communicate its intent to consumers of the library [optional scope]: [optional body] [optional footer(s)] feat - new feature bug - bug fix docs - documentation changes style - styling that does not affect the code at all refactor - no bug fix or new feature perf - performance improvements test - execute tests for code build - build system or external dependency changes ci - CI configuration files and script changes chore - do not modify src or test files [optional scope] Can be anything specifying the place of the commit change Ex: feat(parser):, fix(database):, docs(readme): Use the imperative, present tense: "change" not "changed" nor "changes" the first letter not capitalized no “.” at the end and limit to 50 characters [optional body] Include motivation for the change and contrasts with previous behavior [optional footer(s)] Breaking changes should start with BREAKING CHANGE: Close issues with Closes #123, #456 Describe large changes or issues attempted Ex: feat(auth): implement JWT authentication Here are even more git commands that will make your workflow faster that I have used or have seen used: git branch # List all branches git branch # Create new branch git checkout # Switch to branch git merge # Merge branches git stash # Temporarily store changes git stash pop # Restore stashed changes git reset --hard HEAD~1 # Undo last commit git remote -v # View remote repositories git restore # Discard changes in file git reset --soft HEAD~1 # Undo commit, keep changes staged git reset --mixed HEAD~1 # Undo commit, unstage changes git revert # Create new commit that undoes changes git tag # Create lightweight tag git tag -a -m "msg" # Create annotated tag git push origin # Push tag to remote git tag -d # Delete local tag git cherry-pick # Apply commit to current branch git rebase # Rebase current branch git bisect start # Binary search for bugs git clean -n # Show what will be cleaned git clean -f # Remove untracked files git pull origin # Pulls changes from branch git push origin # Pushes changes to branch Best Practices Commit often Even with the smallest changes, like adding text/button Branch Management Make sure to delete branches when you are done with them to avoid clutter Code review Review before merging with a teammate/friend before committing Provide constructive feedback Make sure anyone can read it Documentation READ.ME Contributing.md Installation/Setup steps Conclusion Git is more than just a version control system - it's a collaborative tool that enables teams to work efficiently and maintain code quality. By following these practices and understanding Git's capabilities, teams can: Minimize conflicts and confusion Allow you to even mark versions when you're working individually Maintain history Scale development Recover mistakes Build large software together Remember that these practices should be adapted to your team's needs and project requirements. The key is consistency and clear communication within the team. What I like to use to communicate discord slack GitHub but any messaging function works! Happy coding/writing

git commit --amend -m "New message"

git branch                  # List all branches
git branch     # Create new branch
git checkout   # Switch to branch
git merge      # Merge branches
git stash                   # Temporarily store changes
git stash pop              # Restore stashed changes
git reset --hard HEAD~1     # Undo last commit
git remote -v              # View remote repositories
git restore          # Discard changes in file
git reset --soft HEAD~1    # Undo commit, keep changes staged
git reset --mixed HEAD~1   # Undo commit, unstage changes
git revert         # Create new commit that undoes changes
git tag           # Create lightweight tag
git tag -a  -m "msg"  # Create annotated tag
git push origin       # Push tag to remote
git tag -d        # Delete local tag
git cherry-pick    # Apply commit to current branch
git rebase         # Rebase current branch
git bisect start          # Binary search for bugs
git clean -n              # Show what will be cleaned
git clean -f              # Remove untracked files
git pull origin             # Pulls changes from branch
git push origin             # Pushes changes to branch

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