Creating and using a git repository

Creating the repository

Go to the directory where you plan to work, and create a .gitignore file containing the file patterns of files and directories you don't want to version. Here is a sample content (this is a good starting point for web2py):

progress.log

cache/*

databases/*

errors/*

sessions/*

*.pyc

*.bak

Then, create the repository, and commit the files to it.

git init

git add .

git commit -a

Hosting

If you want to work with others, you need to host a copy of your repository somewhere. Bitbucket and github are two popular choices:

• You can use BitBucket, which will let you create for free any number of repositories provided you collaborate with at most 5 users on your repository.
• Or, you can use a GitHub student account, which will let you create five repositories for free.

For this example, let's use bitbucket. If you go to Navigation > Overview, it will tell you how to push the initial content of your repository to bitbucket:

git remote add origin https://luca_de_alfaro@bitbucket.org/luca_de_alfaro/cmps183-bboard.git

git push -u origin master

Using the repository

I will describe git via the command line, but I also highly recommend using Altassian SourceTree, which provides you with a graphical representation of the repository and a nice GUI.

A typical use cycle is as follows.

Do some changes, and upload them to the repository

I typically work in a branch named luca. First, I create such a branch:

git checkout -b luca

Then, I do some changes. If I create a new file foo.py, I can add it:

git add foo.py

When I am satisfied with my changes, or when I want to do a checkpoint, I can do:

git commit -a

I can then upload my changes to the repository:

git push origin luca

Merge some changes to the master branch

Once all the contributors are happy with the changes I made, they can be merged with the master branch, and the master branch can be updated on the server:

git checkout master

git merge luca

git push origin master

Get updates by others

If I work with a person Helen who keeps her changes in a branch called helen, this is how I get her work.

First, I get any updates that may be on the server:

git fetch

I can now see that there are new changes in remotes/origin/helen

I can review the changes, and I can then merge the changes into either luca or master:

git checkout master

git merge helen

git push origin master

git checkout luca

git merge master

git push origin luca

More Readings

Here is a very good introduction on git for bitbucket.