So You Think You Know Git - FOSDEM 2024

Introduction

This tutorial distills Scott Chacon's talk from FOSDEM 2024 on Git Tips and Tricks into actionable steps. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to enhance your Git skills, this guide covers essential configurations, useful commands, and features you may not have noticed, ultimately aiming to improve your workflow with Git.

Step 1: Customize Your Git Configuration

To optimize your Git experience, start by configuring some helpful settings.

• Open your terminal or command prompt.
• Set your user name and email, which are essential for commits:

  git config --global user.name "Your Name"
  git config --global user.email "you@example.com"
  

• Configure other options to enhance your workflow:
  • Enable color in the terminal:

    git config --global color.ui auto
    

  • Set your preferred text editor:

    git config --global core.editor "your_editor"
    

Step 2: Explore Oldies But Goodies

Familiarize yourself with some classic Git commands that are still incredibly useful.

• Use git stash to save your changes temporarily:

  git stash
  

• Apply stashed changes later with:

  git stash apply
  

• Use git cherry-pick to apply changes from specific commits:

  git cherry-pick <commit_hash>
  

Step 3: Discover New Features

There are new features in Git that you might not be aware of.

• Explore the git switch command for easier branch management:

  git switch <branch_name>
  

• Learn about git restore to discard changes:

  git restore <file_name>
  

Step 4: Managing Large Repositories

If you're working with large repositories or monorepos, consider these strategies.

• Use sparse checkout to clone only parts of a repository:

  git clone --no-checkout <repository_url>
  cd <repository_name>
  git sparse-checkout init --cone
  git sparse-checkout set <directory_path>
  git checkout
  

• Leverage submodules for managing dependencies:

  git submodule add <repository_url>
  

Step 5: Utilize GitHub Features

Enhance your collaboration on GitHub with these tips.

• Use GitHub Actions for CI/CD to automate your workflows.
• Enable branch protection rules to enforce quality checks before merging.

Conclusion

This guide summarizes key points from Scott Chacon's FOSDEM 2024 talk on Git. By customizing your configuration, leveraging both classic and new features, managing large repositories effectively, and utilizing GitHub's capabilities, you can greatly improve your Git workflow. For further learning, consider exploring the blog series linked in the video description for deeper insights and practical applications.