Mastering Git & GitHub for Effective Collaboration
Discover how to leverage Git without wanting to pull out your hair.

by Merlin Rabens

Branching Off the Right Way
Branch from Main
Always start new work from the main branch.
Focused Branches
Keep feature branches small and targeted.
Stay Up-to-date
Regularly pull changes from main to avoid conflicts.
Commit Messages That Speak Volumes

1

Short and Focused
Keep your commit messages concise, like "Add feature XYZ" or "Enable X to Y". This makes it easy to understand the changes at a glance.

2

Imperative Format
Write commit messages in the imperative mood, as if you're giving instructions - "Fix bug in login flow" rather than "Fixed bug in login flow". This reinforces the action-oriented nature of the commit.

3

Reapply with Ease
Treat your commit history as an action log that can be easily re-applied. Clear, concise messages make it simpler to understand and revert changes if needed.
Why Do We Prefer Linear Histories?

Clarity
Linear history makes it easier to trace changes.

Auditability
Clean history simplifies review, especially for bug hunting.

Collaboration
Linear histories reduce confusion and improve team workflows.
The Pitfalls of Merging
Cluttered History
Merge commits create a non-linear Git history.
Conflict Headaches
Merging often leads to messy conflict resolution.
Unnecessary Complexity
Merge commits add unnecessary complexity to the codebase.
What is Rebase and How It Works
Rebase Commits
Reapplies commits on top of latest changes.
Clean Git History
Avoids clutter of unnecessary merge commits.
Aha Moment
Rebase = cleaner history + fewer conflicts.
When and Why You Should Rebase

1

Rebase Before PR
Always rebase your feature branch before creating a pull request.

2

Keep Up with Main
Regularly rebase your branch onto the latest main branch.

3

Avoid Shared Branches
Avoid rebasing after your branch is pushed and shared with others.
Fewer Conflicts
Rebasing early means fewer conflicts down the line.
How to Rebase Without Fear
1
Step 1
Pull latest changes from main branch
git pull --rebase origin main.
2
Step 2
Resolve any conflicts that arise.
Use your local IDE (Cursor, VS Code)
3
Step 3
Push your changes with force-with-lease
git push --force-with-lease
Merge vs Rebase: The Clear Winner
Merge creates confusing commit histories, while rebase keeps the history linear.
Linear histories are easier to understand and debug.
Git & GitHub Best Practices Recap
Keep Branches Small
Focus on one feature at a time.
Use Pull Requests
For code reviews and testing.
Rebase Before Merge
Maintain a linear Git history.
Keep It Clean
For smooth teamwork and debugging.
Indispensable Git Commands
  • git pull --rebase --autostash - Pulls the latest changes from the remote branch, stashes local changes, and reapplies them after pulling. Alias: gpra
  • git commit --verbose --all --no-edit --amend - Amends the previous commit to add a forgotten file or make a small change. Alias: gcan!
  • git commit --all --message - Adds all modified files (except untracked ones) to the index and commits them. Alias: gcam
  • git push --set-upstream origin $(git_current_branch) - Creates the branch on the remote and helps create a PR quickly. Alias: gpsup
Your Git Journey Starts Here
Ready to take your Git skills to the next level? Let's dive into your questions and wrap up with a recap of why rebasing is the way to go. If you need more help or you want to reach out with your questions, click the button below and I'm more than happy to help!
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