How to get started with Git on Windows and WSL

Source: Windows Key

Yous don't have to exist a primary programmer to utilise Git; you lot don't even have to be into coding at all. Git can exist applied to a number of tasks since information technology is, at heart, a version control tool.

But as open-source software continues to grow and platforms similar GitHub and GitLab are used more than and more than to host code and even full applications, there's a proficient chance you might need to know how to use Git to do some basic functions.

This short guide will get you up and running with Git on Windows and the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and show yous the absolute basic commands you'll demand to know.

How to install Git on Windows and WSL

Git Source: Windows Key

The basic definition of Git is that information technology's a version command tool, allowing multiple people to interact with the aforementioned files independently with the option to merge changes into the master co-operative. It'south completely separate from services like GitHub and GitLab, only yous utilize Git to collaborate with them and a host of other Git-uniform platforms.

To get started on Windows, you'll starting time demand to install Git. The installation will include a dedicated Git Fustigate terminal, only you lot don't accept to utilize that, instead, you tin can just open up the PowerShell terminal you're more familiar with.

To install Git on Windows yous tin but become to the website, download, and and so install the executable. If y'all want to utilise the Windows Package Manager for an even easier installation, open up a new PowerShell window and enter winget install git.

In WSL distros similar Ubuntu and Debian, Git should already be installed from the get-go time yous gear up up. Merely, if for some reason information technology isn't, you lot can install Git yourself in the terminal using the control sudo apt install git. Easy.

Ane important thing to remember too is that while you may have to install Git for Windows specifically, Git itself is platform agnostic so the commands are going to be the same whichever y'all're using. You can also use Git on both Windows and inside WSL aslope each other and interact with the aforementioned local directories as WSL has total access to the Windows file system.

If at any time you demand help just type git --aid into the terminal.

How to download (clone) a repository with Git

Github Repo Source: Windows Central

While different Git-connected services will behave a little differently, the Git commands you need to employ are the same regardless of where you're pulling from. To download, or "clone" a Git repository you demand the command git clone. Almost of the fourth dimension you'll be using a URL, and GitHub, GitLab, and any other similar platform will all brand it articulate exactly which URL you will demand.

Then, for example, you lot would open up up PowerShell or WSL and enter something like:

            git clone https://github.com/microsoft/vscode

This will instruct Git to fetch all contents of the repository at the URL provided. It will magically download everything and create a local Git repository on your motorcar. To you lot, it volition look similar only some other folder, but information technology volition contain some files within that help it stay identified every bit a Git repository.

Git Clone Source: Windows Central

To update to the latest contents of the remote repository on your local automobile, y'all just accept to open the associated local directory in your Concluding and enter:

            git pull

Any changes made since you last cloned or pulled will now be brought down to your local machine and merged with the files there.

How to start your own Git repository

Git repo Source: Windows Cardinal

There are two parts to this, where you take a local Git repository, which you lot and so push button to a service like GitHub. To begin with, though, you need to fix things up locally.

Open the directory y'all want to use equally a Git repository in your last and enter this command:

            git init

This volition set up everything you need for Git to handle version control for everything within that directory. You don't take to button to a remote service like GitHub, at that place are local options similar Gitea that you can self-host, simply wherever you lot're pushing to at that place's ane essential first step.

You lot have to tell Git who you lot are. This is because every commit is logged to the person who made it. If you lot're a solo artist you lot might not see why this matters, only it's crucial as soon every bit you get-go collaborating with fifty-fifty one other person.

There are two simple commands to enable everything you demand.

            git config --global user.proper name "YourUserName" git config --global user.email "YourEmailAddress"

At present, y'all tin start pushing changes to your Git repository.

How to button a Git repository to a remote

Git Push Source: Windows Central

There's a lot yous tin practice with Git, but as well using it to clone and handle remote version changes, you'll probable want to push some of these files to a remote repository such as on GitHub or GitLab. There is a process to follow each fourth dimension, which is outlined below. Substantially you accept to add files to be tracked, and then yous can commit them, then push.

Before you push to a remote service, you will have to ensure you're authenticated on your local motorcar to do so. With GitHub, the easiest fashion to do this is to download the GitHub CLI tool and use it to log in with your business relationship credentials equally information technology saves having to use admission tokens. Our total GitHub beginners guide will walk you lot through it.

Once this is out of the manner, the process and commands are as follows.

git condition — It's a good idea to check the condition of your local repository before you brainstorm calculation files and committing them. This command will tell you whether your local copy is up to engagement with a remote, whether you have untracked files to add together and whether you take changes to be committed.
git add — Any file to be committed to a Git repo first needs to be staged with this command. You can either add together individual file names or use . to add all unstaged files.
git commit -one thousand "InsertCommitMessage" — All commits accept to be fabricated with a message describing what said commit is. Use this command template to attain this.
git push — Pushes to the remote.

The first fourth dimension you push to a repository the command is a little dissimilar. You need to tell Git that you're pushing your local chief branch and that the remote is the associated upstream. So while subsequent pushes only demand the command above, the start ane will need this:

            git push button --set-upstream origin principal

This volition ensure that your local Git repository is prepare at present to track the remote "chief" branch.

There is a lot more to Git than this, and nosotros haven't even touched on branches and merging and many of the more advanced features. Simply, for absolute beginners, this covers the essentials, and at present yous'll exist able to clone, create, and push button your own Git repositories on both Windows and WSL. Or indeed any other operating system!