Git Best Practices

Summary of Git Best Practices

• Commit Often
• Write Clear Commit Messages
• Use Branches
• Pull Before You Push
• Review Changes Before Committing
• Keep Repositories Small
• Use .gitignore
• Tag Releases

Commit Often

Make small, frequent commits to capture your progress.

This makes it easier to track changes and find bugs.

git add .
git commit -m "Add user authentication logic"
[main 93091fb] Add user authentication logic
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)
 create mode 100644 auth.js

Write Clear Commit Messages

Use descriptive messages that explain why a change was made, not just what changed.

Good commit messages help you and your team understand the history of the project.

• Be specific: Say what and why, not just "Update" or "Fix".
• Use the imperative mood: For example, "Add login validation" instead of "Added login validation".

git commit -m "Fix bug in user login validation"
[main ed82f74] Fix bug in user login validation
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

Use Branches

Create branches for features, fixes, and experiments to keep your main branch stable.

This way, you can work on new ideas without affecting the main codebase.

• Why? Branches let you test and develop independently, and make collaboration safer.
• Name branches clearly: For example, feature/login-form or bugfix/user-auth.

git checkout -b feature/login-form
Switched to a new branch 'feature/login-form'

Pull Before You Push

Always git pull before pushing.

This updates your local branch with changes from others, helps you avoid conflicts, and ensures your push will succeed.

git pull origin main
git push origin main

Review Changes Before Committing

Use git status and git diff to review your changes before you commit.

This helps you catch mistakes early.

git status
On branch main
Changes not staged for commit:
  (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
  (use "git restore <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)
        modified:   auth.js

no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")
git diff
diff --git a/auth.js b/auth.js
index a404cd3..be27e13 100644
--- a/auth.js
+++ b/auth.js
@@ -1 +1 @@
-function login(user) { return user.name !== ''; }
+function login(user) { return user.name.trim() !== ''; }

Keep Repositories Small

Avoid adding large files or unnecessary dependencies.

This keeps your repository fast and easy to clone.

• Tip: For large files (like videos or datasets), use Git LFS (Large File Storage) instead of adding them directly to your repo.

Use .gitignore

Exclude files that shouldn't be tracked (like build artifacts, log files, or secrets) by adding them to a .gitignore file.

# .gitignore
node_modules/
*.log
.env

Tag Releases

Use tags to mark release points (like v1.0) so you can easily find and reference important versions.

This helps you keep track of your project's history and make it easier to roll back to previous versions if needed.

git tag v1.0
git push origin v1.0