Git Version Control Cookbook

90 hands-on recipes that will increase your productivity when using Git as a version control system

Overview

• Filled with practical recipes that will teach you how to use the most advanced features of the Git system
• Improve your productivity by learning to work faster, more efficiently, and with more confidence
• Discover tips and tricks that will show you when and how to use the advanced features of Git

In Detail

Starting with the Git data model, you will learn how Git stores files and how it looks at commits. You will then learn how you can recover from mistakes; from committing on the wrong branch to recovering lost commits/files. Next, you will discover how you can force rebase on some branches and use regular Git merge on other branches. You will also learn how to extract information from the repository.

As you progress through this book, you will learn how you can automate the usual Git processes by utilizing the hook system built into Git. The book also covers advanced repository management, including different options to rewrite the history of a Git repository. Finally, you will discover how you can work offline with Git, how to track what is going on behind the scenes, and how to use the stash for different purposes.

What you will learn from this book

• Understand the Git data model and how you can navigate the database with simple commands
• Learn how you can recover lost commits/files
• Discover how you can force rebase on some branches and use regular Git merge on other branches
• Extract metadata from a Git repository
• Familiarize yourself with Git notes
• Discover how you can work offline with Git
• Debug with Git and use various techniques to find the faulty commit

Approach

This practical guide contains a wide variety of recipes, taking you through all the topics you need to know about to fully utilize the most advanced features of the Git system.

Who this book is written for

If you are a software developer or a build and release engineer who uses Git in your daily work and want to take your Git knowledge to the next level, then this book is for you. To understand and follow the recipes included in this book, basic knowledge of Git command-line code is mandatory.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Navigating Git
Chapter 2. Configuration
Chapter 3. Branching, Merging, and Options
Chapter 4. Rebase Regularly and Interactively, and Other Use Cases
Chapter 5. Storing Additional Information in Your Repository
Chapter 6. Extracting Data from the Repository
Chapter 7. Enhancing Your Daily Work with Git Hooks, Aliases, and Scripts
Chapter 8. Recovering from Mistakes
Chapter 9. Repository Maintenance
Chapter 10. Patching and Offline Sharing
Chapter 11. Git Plumbing and Attributes
Chapter 12. Tips and Tricks