Git Basics

1. What is Git, and why is it used?

Git is a distributed version control system used for tracking changes in source code. It allows multiple developers to collaborate efficiently.

2. What is the difference between Git and GitHub?

Git is a version control system, while GitHub is a cloud-based hosting service for Git repositories.

3. What are the basic Git commands?

git init - Initializes a new repository
git clone <repo> - Clones a repository
git add <file> - Stages a file for commit
git commit -m "message" - Commits staged changes
git push - Pushes local commits to the remote repository
git pull - Fetches and merges changes from a remote repository

4. What is the difference between git pull and git fetch?

git fetch retrieves changes from a remote repository but does not merge them, whereas git pull fetches and merges changes into the current branch.

5. What is a Git branch, and how do you create one?

A branch is a separate line of development. You can create a branch using git branch <branch-name> and switch to it using git checkout <branch-name>.

6. What is the difference between git merge and git rebase?

git merge combines two branches while preserving the history, whereas git rebase integrates changes by reapplying commits in a linear order.

7. How do you undo a commit?

git reset --soft HEAD~1 - Moves HEAD back to the previous commit but keeps changes staged.
git reset --hard HEAD~1 - Completely removes the last commit and changes.

8. What is .gitignore and its purpose?

.gitignore is a file that specifies which files and directories should be ignored by Git to prevent unnecessary tracking.

9. How do you delete a branch in Git?

git branch -d <branch-name> deletes a local branch.
git push origin --delete <branch-name> deletes a remote branch.

10. What is Git stash, and how do you use it?

git stash temporarily stores changes without committing them. Use git stash pop to reapply the changes.