Is this tutorial right for me?

This tutorial is ideal for beginners and those new to version control and Git. It provides a solid foundation for understanding the core principles and practical applications of Git, especially for managing software projects and collaborating with others. If you’re looking to learn Git & GitLab from the ground up, this is an excellent resource. This would be my go to course, as long as you are not looking for specialized topics (e.g. building a website) or have a specific background (e.g. social sciences). Then you should take a look at the Library Carpentry: Git & GitHub Tutorial . For a deep dive into GitLab look at Software Carpentry: Introduction to GitLab .

Prerequisites:

• Basic command-line familiarity.
• Understanding of file systems.

What will I learn?

In this tutorial, you will learn:

• What is Version Control? Understand the benefits and fundamental concepts of automated version control systems
• Setting Up Git: How to configure Git for the first time, including user name, email, and preferred text editor, with global settings
• Creating a Repository: How to initialize a local Git repository and understand the purpose of the .git directory
• Tracking Changes: Learn to add files to the staging area and commit changes to the repository
• Viewing History: How to inspect the history of changes using git log and understand different viewing options
• Ignoring Files: How to use .gitignore to prevent Git from tracking specific files or directories
• Remote Repositories: How to connect a local repository to a remote server (e.g., GitHub, GitLab), push local changes, and pull updates from the remote
• Collaborative Workflows: Understand how to manage conflicts when merging changes from multiple contributors and best practices for collaborative development
• Creating and Managing Projects: How to create a new GitLab project, modify its name, description, visibility, and connect a local Git repository.

What will I be able to do?

By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:

• Explain the importance and benefits of using version control in any project.
• Set up and configure Git on your local machine.
• Create and manage Git repositories, tracking changes effectively.
• Collaborate with others by pushing and pulling changes from remote repositories.
• Resolve common conflicts that arise during collaborative work.
• Understand how to use GitLab for collaborative software development and general project management.

Take the tutorial externally:

Software Carpentry: Introduction to GitLab