Git & GitHub Basics: Version Control Made Easy

What is GitHub?

GitHub is a cloud platform that hosts Git repositories. It provides collaboration features like pull requests, code reviews, issue tracking, and continuous integration—tools that teams at CoderVu use daily to build reliable software.

Why Git & GitHub matter

• Reliable backups: Your code is stored remotely, reducing the risk of data loss.
• Team collaboration: Multiple developers can work on the same project without overwriting each other’s work.
• Branching: Develop features in isolation and keep the main branch stable.
• Professional workflows: Pull requests and reviews help maintain code quality.

Essential Git commands

Run the following commands in your terminal/command prompt during daily development:

git init                   # initialize a new repository

git status                 # check current changes

git add .                  # stage all changes

git commit -m "message"   # commit staged changes

git branch                 # list branches

git checkout -b feature/x  # create and switch to a new branch

git push origin your-branch# push branch to remote

git pull origin main       # fetch and merge latest changes

Recommended CoderVu workflow

1. Clone the repository: git clone <repo-url>
2. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feat/your-feature
3. Make changes and commit often: git add . & git commit -m "short, clear message"
4. Push the branch: git push origin feat/your-feature
5. Create a Pull Request on GitHub and request reviewers
6. Address feedback, then merge into main

CoderVu tips for better version control

• Keep commits small and focused with clear messages.
• Never push sensitive files (use .gitignore).
• Always use pull requests for code review—do not push directly to main.
• Agree on a merge strategy (merge commits vs. rebase) with your team.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Large, infrequent commits that mix unrelated changes.
• Committing secrets like .env files to the repo.
• Resolving merge conflicts without understanding the changes.

Conclusion

Learning Git and GitHub is essential for every developer. These tools enable safer collaboration, better code organization, and professional development workflows. CoderVu uses these practices to deliver high-quality software—start applying them to your projects today.