Before we dive into how Git tracks changes and handles pushing and pulling code, let’s first understand what Git is, what it does, and how it works together with GitHub.
What is Git?
Git is a version control system. This means it works on your computer first, even without internet. Think of it as a time machine for your code.
Git allows you to track changes to your files, save versions of your project, revert to earlier states and collaborate safely with others.
GitHub, on the other hand, is a remote platform where Git repositories are stored online.
Installing Git and linking it to GitHub
Before installing Git, first go to your web browser and create a GitHub account. Go to your terminal after creating the account.
Step 1: Install Git
sudo apt update
Install Git:
sudo apt install git -y
Verify Git installation:
git --version
`Shows Git is successfully installed on Ubuntu.`
Step 2: Configure Git Identity
Set your name:
git config --global user.name "Your_Name"
Set your email:
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"
Check configuration:
git config --list
user.name=Your Name
user.email=[email protected]`
Shows Git configuration including username and email.
user.name=Your Name → Git knows who is making commits. This name appears in the commit history.
[email protected] → Git associates your commits with this email. It must match your GitHub account email.
This confirms Git is configured correctly. Without this, Git will not track who is making changes, and commits may not appear properly on GitHub.
Step 3: Create SSH Key and Link to GitHub
Generate a secure SSH key:
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "[email protected]"
Start SSH agent:
eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
Add your key to the agent:
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
Display your public key:
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
Test the connection:
ssh -T [email protected]
Example of wrong input:
ssh -T [email protected]
`Permission denied (publickey).`
Correct output:
Hi username! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access.
Shows a successful authentication with GitHub via SSH.
Step 4: Create a GitHub Repository
Create a new repository on GitHub and do not initialize with README. This will be your remote repository.
Step 5: Create Local Project Directory
Create a new folder and navigate into it:
mkdir beginner-git-project
cd beginner-git-project
Shows folder creation and navigation.
Step 6: Initialize Git
git init
Shows that the folder is now a Git repository.
Step 7: Create a File
Create a README file:
touch README.md
echo "# Beginner Git Project" >> README.md
Check repository status:
git status
Example of wrong input:
git statuz
Output:
`git: 'statuz' is not a git command. See 'git --help'.`
Step 8: Stage Changes
git add .
Check status:
git status
Shows staged files ready to commit.
Step 9: Commit Changes
git commit -m "Initial commit"
Example of wrong input:
git commit -m Initial commit
Output:
`error: pathspec 'Initial' did not match any file(s) known to git`
Correct syntax requires quotes around the commit message.
Step 10: Connect Local Repo to GitHub
Add the remote repository:
git remote add origin [email protected]:username/beginner-git-project.git
git remote -v
Shows the remote repository connection.
Step 11: Push Code to GitHub
Rename branch to main:
git branch -M main
Push your code:
git push -u origin main
Example of wrong push command:
git push
`fatal: No configured push destination.`
This occurs if the remote wasn’t added.
Step 12: Pull Changes from GitHub
git pull origin main
Downloads the latest changes from GitHub and merges them into your local project.
Step 13: View Project History
git log
Exit the log view:
q
Why Git Matters (Data Science & Data Engineering)
Track notebooks & pipelines
Collaborate safely
Revert mistakes
Production-ready workflows
Git allows developers, data scientists, and engineers to track code changes, collaborate safely, and recover from mistakes. By understanding each command and its purpose, beginners can confidently manage projects and work professionally using Git and GitHub.
Learning Git on Ubuntu empowers you to manage projects confidently and collaborate effectively. Whether you’re working on ETL pipelines, machine learning models, or data analysis notebooks, Git ensures your work is organized, secure, and scalable.
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