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Lesson 1 of 3Git & GitHub for AI-Assisted Development0 of 3 complete (0%)

Git Fundamentals

10 min

What you will learn

  • Understand the core Git mental model: working directory, staging area, and commit history
  • Use git add, commit, branch, merge, and log with confidence
  • Write clear commit messages that explain WHY, not just WHAT
  • Use AI tools to generate commit messages and understand diffs

# Git Fundamentals

Git is the version control system used by virtually every professional software team. If you are learning to code with AI, Git is the skill that transforms you from "someone who writes code" to "someone who ships software."

The Mental Model

Forget memorizing commands for a moment. Git manages three zones:

  1. 1.Working Directory — Your actual files on disk. This is where you write code.
  2. 2.Staging Area — A "loading dock" where you prepare changes for a commit. You decide exactly what goes in.
  3. 3.Commit History — A permanent timeline of snapshots. Every commit is a save point.

The flow: Edit files → Stage changes → Commit snapshot → Repeat.

Essential Commands

# Initialize a new Git repository
git init

# Check what's changed
git status

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What you'll learn:

  • Understand the core Git mental model: working directory, staging area, and commit history
  • Use git add, commit, branch, merge, and log with confidence
  • Write clear commit messages that explain WHY, not just WHAT