Git Repository
In Git, a repository acts like a data structure managed by the VCS, storing metadata for files and directories, along with their change history. Each project has its own repository, which contains all relevant project data.
Getting a Git Repository
There are two methods to obtain a repository, which are as follows:
- Create a local repository and initialize it as a Git repository.
- Clone an existing remote repository from a server.
In both cases, you can begin working on the Git repository.
Initializing a Repository
If you want to manage your project with Git and share it on a version control system, navigate to your project's directory and open the Git command line (Git Bash for Windows). To initialize a new repository, use the following command:
Syntax:
$ git init
Output:
The command will create a new subdirectory called .git, which contains all the essential repository files. This .git subdirectory serves as the framework of the Git repository.
An empty .git repository is added to your existing project. To begin version control for the existing files, you need to track them using the `git add` command, followed by a commit.
You can list all the untracked files using the 'git status' command.
$ git status
Output:
The 'git status' command displays a list of all untracked files. To add these files to version control, use the 'git add' command followed by a commit. To track the files, run the `git add` command as shown below:
Syntax:
$ git add <filename>
To commit a file, use the 'git commit' command as shown below:
$ git commit-m "Commit message."
Output:
In the output above, I added three existing files using the `git add` command and committed them for sharing.
You can also create new files. To include these new files in version control, follow the same procedure: add them using 'git add' and commit them. Now, you have a repository ready to be shared.
Cloning an Existing Repository
You can clone an existing repository to make a copy for others to contribute. For example, if you have a repository on a version control system like Subversion, GitHub, or another remote server, using the `git clone` command will allow others to obtain their own copy and contribute.
You can retrieve almost all data from the server using the 'git clone' command. This can be done as follows:
Syntax:
$ git clone <Repository URL>
If one of my friends has a repository on my GitHub account and I want to contribute to it, the first step is to clone the repository to my local system for a more efficient workflow. The essential element needed for cloning is the repository URL. For example, with the repository URL "https://github.com/ImDwivedi1/Git-Example," you can clone it using the following command:
$ git clone https://github.com/ImDwivedi1/Git-Example
Output:
In the output above, the Git-Example repository has been successfully cloned and is now available on your local storage. You can make commits and contribute to the project by pushing changes to the remote server.
A single repository can be cloned multiple times, allowing you to create copies on different locations and systems.
