Git Workflow Best Practices

Git is the backbone of modern software development. Here are essential workflows and practices.

Branch Strategy

Use feature branches for development:

git checkout -b feature/new-feature
git add .
git commit -m "feat: add new feature"
git push origin feature/new-feature

Commit Messages

Follow conventional commits:

feat: add new feature
fix: resolve bug
docs: update documentation
style: format code
refactor: restructure code
test: add tests
chore: update dependencies

Rebase vs Merge

Rebase for a clean history:

git checkout feature-branch
git rebase main

Merge to preserve history:

git checkout main
git merge feature-branch

Useful Commands

Undo Changes

git reset HEAD~1
git revert <commit-hash>
git checkout -- <file>

Stash Work

git stash
git stash pop
git stash list

View History

git log --oneline --graph
git log -p <file>
git blame <file>

Best Practices

1. Commit early and often
2. Write descriptive commit messages
3. Review changes before committing
4. Keep commits focused and atomic
5. Pull before pushing

Conclusion

Mastering Git workflows improves collaboration and code quality.