Version Control and Change Tracking

Version control is essential for modern software development. It allows teams to collaborate effectively, track changes, and maintain code quality. This comprehensive guide covers Git fundamentals, branching strategies, and collaboration best practices.

Git Basics

Repository Setup

# Initialize a new repository
git init

# Clone an existing repository
git clone https://github.com/user/repo.git

# Check repository status
git status

Basic Workflow

Make Changes

Edit files in your working directory.

Stage Changes

Add files to the staging area.

git add file.txt
git add .  # Add all files

Commit Changes

Save changes to the repository.
```
git commit -m "Add new feature"
```
Push Changes

Upload changes to remote repository.
```
git push origin main
```

Branching and Merging

Branch Management

# Create and switch to new branch
git checkout -b feature-branch

# List all branches
git branch -a

# Switch branches
git checkout main

# Delete branch
git branch -d feature-branch

Merge Strategies

Fast-forward merge: Linear history when no divergent commits
Three-way merge: Creates merge commit when branches diverged
Rebase: Replays commits on top of another branch

# Merge branch
git merge feature-branch

# Rebase instead of merge
git rebase main

# Interactive rebase
git rebase -i HEAD~3

Collaboration Workflow

Pull Requests

Pull requests facilitate code review and discussion before merging changes.

Code Review Process

Create a feature branch
Make commits with clear messages
Push branch to remote repository
Create pull request
Team reviews and provides feedback
Address review comments
Merge when approved

Advanced Git Techniques

Stashing Changes

# Stash current changes
git stash

# List stashes
git stash list

# Apply stashed changes
git stash pop

# Create named stash
git stash save "work in progress"

Resetting and Reverting

# Soft reset (keep changes staged)
git reset --soft HEAD~1

# Hard reset (lose changes)
git reset --hard HEAD~1

# Revert commit
git revert commit-hash

Best Practices

Commit Messages

Use imperative mood: "Add feature" not "Added feature"
Keep first line under 50 characters
Provide detailed description when needed
Reference issue numbers when applicable

Branch Naming

Use descriptive names: feature/user-authentication
Include issue numbers: bugfix/123-fix-login
Use consistent prefixes: feature/, bugfix/, hotfix/

Repository Organization

Use .gitignore for generated files
Keep repository size manageable
Use Git LFS for large binary files
Regular maintenance with git gc

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Common Version Control Issues

Merge Conflicts

Understand the conflict: Read both versions
Choose correct resolution: Don't just pick one side
Test after resolution: Ensure functionality works

Lost Commits

Use git reflog: Find lost commits
Create backups: Push regularly to remote
Use branches: Experiment safely

Large Files

Use Git LFS: For large binary files
.gitignore: Exclude generated files
Clean history: Use git filter-branch if needed