Explainer: Git for absolute beginners (and why it saves you)

If you write code, Git will save your work and your sanity. Here's the short version.

Git is a system that records snapshots of your project over time. Each snapshot is a commit. You can go back to any earlier commit, so you never truly lose work.

The four commands you'll use daily:

• git status — see what changed.
• git add . — stage your changes.
• git commit -m "message" — save a snapshot with a note.
• git push — send your snapshots to GitHub or GitLab.

Start with these four on a personal project. Once they feel natural, branches and merges will come easily. Ask below if any step is unclear.