Git basics for students (the smallest useful slice)

Git is a version control tool. GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket are places to host Git repositories and collaborate. You can learn Git locally first—no cloud account required.

Why this matters for Cloud & DevOps

Almost every team stores infrastructure and application code in Git. Interviews often assume you can clone, branch, commit, and open a pull request (or merge request).

The smallest workflow that still counts

Inside a project folder:

1. git init — Start tracking a folder (only once per project).
2. git status — See what changed.
3. git add . — Stage changes (start with “stage everything” while learning; learn finer control next).
4. git commit -m "Describe the change" — Save a snapshot with a message.
5. git log --oneline — See history.

Working with a remote (GitHub example)

After you create an empty repository online:

git remote add origin <your-repo-url>
git branch -M main
git push -u origin main

Later, when you work on another machine:

git pull

Good commit messages (beginner rule)

Finish this sentence: “This commit …” Examples: “add README,” “fix typo in lab steps,” “create Dockerfile.”

Common beginner pain

Merge conflicts. They are normal. The goal is not to avoid them forever—it is to read the conflict markers, understand what changed, and resolve calmly.

Next step: create a repo for your lab notes and commit small improvements weekly.