Can't Grok, Won't Grok

Git has very quickly become my tool-of-choice for source control. It’s quick, it’s easy and it’s bloody good at what it does. It allows me to completely forget about source control, not fear things like branching and merging and just get on with writing code . Git Aliases allow us to create shortcuts for common commands to make it even easier & quicker for us to use. In this post I cover creating simple aliases for common commands/scenarios (or at least those in my working day). WARNING! Dragons Be Here! We are going to be changing the Git configuration file! I strongly recommend you start with these by working on a fresh repository’s configuration file before adding the “--global” switch to apply changes across the board! By this, I mean: Go to a temp directory. Open up the Git bash/shell. Type “git init”. From this point on, all changes are to be made to this repository only by omitting the “--global” switch. I won’t even add it to the commands so you do...

I thought I would share this little nugget of info as part of my “GrokGit” series. As you know, I am aiming to master the command line with Git rather than the GUI. It’s no secret that GUI’s are inherently slow – and I am aiming to improve my productivity as much as possible so screw that! What is Launchy? Launchy is a great application that is VERY high up on my tools list. It allows you to create shortcuts to programs and URL’s so you can quickly access them. I would strongly recommend giving it a whirl. Here is a quick rundown of my setup: WIN + ESC – Opens Launchy. I have two folders added to the “Catalogue”: A local folder for shortcuts specific to that machine (useful for programs that are work/home specific). A folder that is shared via Live Mesh which syncs to all my computers. Great for shared applications with common paths etc. From the Launchy Plugins I use: Weby to set location-specific favourites. ...

Well, I have been saying it for a while – I need to do more speaking at community events, so I finally agreed to start small and do a nugget for my local user group . Why Speaking? My thoughts are simply: Pros You need to understand things more intimately in order to be able to explain them. The many iterations required to get the slides right reinforces the learning that took place to get the content on there to being with. It’s great for confidence. You can (hopefully) pass some useful knowledge on to the community and help them try new things/better themselves. It’s a great icebreaker to meet new people (i.e. you are more likely to talk and engage with them if you have some subject matter to talk about). Cons It can be scary – it’s been ages since I stood up in front of people. It can be time consuming trying to create the “perfect” slide deck. You can look/sound like an ass. You give false information and/or confuse people even more. ...

Here’s a round up of the main features that I have made use of in getting started with Git . This is by no means a complete list, but I thought it could be a great supplement to any “Getting Started” guide you may have (feel free to comment and post links!). Basic Commands Here’s a run-down of the most common commands I have found myself using. Command Description git help commandName REALLY your friend when getting started! Use it! git init Creates a Git repository in the current directory. git status Reports the current repository status (e.g. commits pending etc.) git add Add files to source control (use the “-A” switch for ALL files in the directory. git commit Performs a commit operation to the current repository. git bra...