What is Git?

Git is a distributed version control system (DVCS) that tracks changes to files over time, allowing you to manage and collaborate on projects effectively. Unlike centralized systems, each developer has a complete copy of the project’s history locally, offering several advantages:

• Offline Work: Commit changes and work on your code even without an internet connection.
• Faster Operations: Many operations are faster due to local access to the project history.
• Collaboration: Branching and merging facilitate efficient collaboration on shared projects.
• Backup: Each developer’s local repository acts as a backup.
• Open Source: Git is free and open-source, with a large and supportive community.

Git manages changes through commits, branches, and a repository. We’ll explore these concepts in detail in later tutorials.

Installing Git

The installation process depends on your operating system. Follow the instructions for your system:

Linux

Most Linux distributions offer Git through their package managers. Use the appropriate command for your distribution:

• Debian/Ubuntu: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install git
• Fedora/CentOS/RHEL: sudo dnf install git or sudo yum install git
• Arch Linux: sudo pacman -S git
• Other distributions: Consult your distribution’s documentation.

macOS

Download the official Git installer from the Git website and follow the on-screen instructions.

Windows

Download the official Git installer for Windows from the Git website. During installation, you can accept the default options unless you have specific requirements. Git Bash will be installed along with Git.

Verifying Installation

After installation, open your terminal or Git Bash (on Windows) and type:

git --version

This command should display the installed Git version number. If you see an error, refer to the official Git documentation for troubleshooting.

Next Steps

Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed Git. Our next tutorial will cover creating your first Git repository and making your first commit.