Java Programmer Skills Programme

📘LESSON 6

3.1 Lesson Outcomes

After completing this lesson, learners will be able to:

Explain the purpose of Git.
Define version control and source code control.
Explain collaboration using Git.
Define repositories and branches.
Explain pull requests and changes in Git.
Use basic Git commands in software development workflows.

3.2 Overview

Modern software development requires tools that help developers track changes, collaborate efficiently, and manage source code safely. Git is one of the world’s most widely used version control systems and is commonly used in enterprise and collaborative software development environments.

This lesson introduces learners to Git and explains version control, repositories, branches, collaboration workflows, and Git commands used in source code management.

Git is widely used in:

enterprise software development,
web development,
cloud platforms,
DevOps environments,
and collaborative programming projects.

Understanding Git is important because software developers rely on version control systems to manage code and collaborate effectively.

KT0601 — Overview of Git

Git is a distributed version control system used to track changes in source code during software development.

Git helps developers:

manage code,
track changes,
collaborate,
and maintain project history.

Features of Git

Git supports:

collaboration,
version tracking,
branching,
and source code management.

Importance of Git

Git improves:

software development workflows,
collaboration,
and project management.

KT0602 — Version Control

Version control is the process of tracking and managing changes made to source code over time.

Version control systems allow developers to:

restore previous versions,
track modifications,
and manage collaboration.

Benefits of Version Control

Benefit	Purpose
History Tracking	Records code changes
Collaboration	Supports teamwork
Backup	Protects source code
Recovery	Restores previous versions

Importance of Version Control

Version control improves:

software reliability,
collaboration,
and project maintenance.

KT0603 — Collaboration

Git supports collaboration between multiple developers working on the same project.

Developers can:

share code,
review changes,
and merge updates.

Collaboration Activities

Activity	Purpose
Sharing Code	Team development
Reviewing Changes	Quality control
Merging Code	Combine updates

Importance of Collaboration

Collaboration supports:

teamwork,
efficient development,
and project coordination.

KT0604 — Repositories

A repository is a storage location used to manage source code and project files.

Repositories contain:

source code,
project history,
and version information.

Types of Repositories

Repository Type	Description
Local Repository	Stored on local computer
Remote Repository	Stored online/server

Examples of Remote Repositories

GitHub
GitLab
Bitbucket

Importance of Repositories

Repositories help developers:

organize projects,
manage code,
and collaborate online.

KT0605 — Branch

A branch is a separate version of a project used for development or experimentation.

Branches allow developers to:

work independently,
test features,
and avoid affecting the main project.

Common Branch Types

Branch	Purpose
main/master	Main project branch
feature branch	New feature development

Importance of Branches

Branches improve:

safe development,
testing,
and collaboration workflows.

KT0606 — Changes

Changes refer to modifications made to source code or project files.

Git tracks:

added files,
modified files,
and deleted files.

Types of Changes

Change Type	Description
Added	New file created
Modified	Existing file updated
Deleted	File removed

Importance of Tracking Changes

Tracking changes helps developers:

monitor progress,
review updates,
and manage project history.

KT0607 — Pull Requests

A pull request is a request to merge changes from one branch into another branch.

Pull requests allow team members to:

review code,
discuss changes,
and approve updates.

Pull Request Workflow

Step	Process
Create Branch	Develop feature
Commit Changes	Save updates
Create Pull Request	Request merge
Review	Check code
Merge	Combine changes

Importance of Pull Requests

Pull requests improve:

code quality,
collaboration,
and software reliability.

KT0608 — Source Code Control

Source code control refers to managing and tracking source code changes during software development.

Git provides source code control by:

storing versions,
tracking modifications,
and supporting collaboration.

Benefits of Source Code Control

Benefit	Purpose
Tracking	Records updates
Collaboration	Supports teamwork
Recovery	Restores previous versions
Security	Protects source code

Importance of Source Code Control

Source code control improves:

software maintenance,
collaboration,
and project stability.

KT0609 — Git Commands: git clone, git fetch, git checkout, git init, git commit, git push, git diff, git pull, git add, git branch

Git commands are used to manage repositories and source code workflows.

Common Git Commands

Command	Purpose
git init	Creates a repository
git clone	Copies repository
git add	Adds changes
git commit	Saves changes
git push	Uploads changes
git pull	Downloads updates
git fetch	Retrieves updates
git checkout	Switches branches
git branch	Creates/views branches
git diff	Displays differences

Example Commands

Initialize Repository

git init

Clone Repository

git clone repository-url

Add Files

git add .

Commit Changes

git commit -m "Initial commit"

Push Changes

git push

Importance of Git Commands

Git commands support:

source code management,
collaboration,
and version control workflows.

3.5 Key Notes / Summary

Git is a version control system.
Version control tracks source code changes.
Repositories store project files and history.
Branches support independent development.
Pull requests support code reviews and collaboration.
Source code control improves project management.
Git commands manage repositories and workflows.