Background¶

Here, I will show you the very basics, the must haves when you want to work on a git setup. We will use github as the platform. Even thgouh the concepts will be same if you used Azure Devops.

I will focus on how its done using mainly the terminal. So that, when you use the VS Code features you will know that what commands run in the backend.

Step 1 - Clone the repository¶

Clone the repo¶

To clone a repository to your local machine using the terminal on a Mac, follow these steps:

1. Open Terminal¶

Press Command (⌘) + Space, type Terminal, and press Enter.

2. Navigate to the Desired Directory¶

Decide where you want to clone the repository. Use cd (change directory) to move to the appropriate folder.

cd ~/Documents

(Replace ~/Documents with your preferred location.)

3. Clone the Repository¶

Run the following command:

git clone <repository-url>

For example, if the repository URL is:

https://github.com/username/repository.git

Then the command would be:

git clone https://github.com/username/repository.git

If using SSH:

git clone git@github.com:username/repository.git

4. Navigate into the Cloned Repository¶

cd repository

(Replace repository with the actual repository name.)

5. Verify the Clone¶

Run:

git status

If successful, you should see something like:

On branch main
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/main'.

Now, you can start working on the repository locally! 🚀

Step 2: Fetch and Pull¶

Scenario: Starting on a Local Repository and Creating a Feature Branch¶

Step 1: Check if the Repository is Up-to-Date¶

Before creating a new branch, ensure your local repository is up-to-date with the remote repository.

git fetch origin

What Does `git fetch origin` Do?¶

It retrieves the latest changes from the remote repository without modifying your local files.
It syncs remote tracking branches (e.g., origin/main), but your local branches remain unchanged.
It is not a full sync, but an update of Git’s knowledge of remote branches.

Is `git fetch` a Sync?¶

Yes, but only for tracking purposes. It updates Git’s knowledge of the remote repo without changing local files.
It’s like saying: "Hey Git, get the latest changes, but don’t apply them to my work yet."

Step 2: Check for New Updates¶

After fetching, check what new commits exist on the remote branch:

git log main..origin/main --oneline

This shows commits that exist in origin/main but not in your local main.

Step 3: Update Your Local Main Branch¶

If you want to update your local main branch to match the latest remote version:

git checkout main
git pull origin main

Step 4: Create a Feature Branch¶

Once your main branch is updated, create a new feature branch:

git checkout -b feature/xxx

Step 5: What Happens If You Run `git fetch` on `feature/xxx`?¶

Your Local Branch (`feature/xxx`)	Exists Remotely?	What `git fetch` Does?
Only exists locally	❌ No	Does nothing to your branch. Just fetches other remote updates.
Not tracking remote	✅ Yes	Fetches remote updates but does not update local branch. You need to set tracking manually.
Already tracking remote	✅ Yes	Updates `origin/feature/xxx` but does not merge into your local `feature/xxx` until you pull or rebase.

Step 6: Set Tracking for the Feature Branch (If Needed)¶

If the branch exists remotely but isn't tracked locally:

git branch --set-upstream-to=origin/feature/xxx feature/xxx
git pull

Step 7: Make Changes and Push the Branch¶

After making your changes, commit and push the branch to remote:

git add .
git commit -m "Your commit message here"
git push origin feature/xxx

Step 8: Merge the Feature Branch (After PR Approval)¶

Once the pull request is approved, merge the branch into main:

git checkout main
git pull origin main
git merge feature/xxx

If you no longer need the feature branch, delete it:

git branch -d feature/xxx  # Delete locally
git push origin --delete feature/xxx  # Delete remotely

Understanding `git fetch` and Its Options¶

What is `origin` in Git?¶

origin is the default alias for the remote repository.
When you run git fetch origin, it fetches the latest updates from the remote repository without modifying your local branches.

Can You Run `git fetch` Without `origin`?¶

Yes, you can run:

git fetch

What Happens?¶

It fetches updates from all remote repositories.
If you have only one remote (origin), this is the same as git fetch origin.

Example: Multiple Remotes¶

If you have two remotes: - origin (your fork) - upstream (the original repo)

You can fetch updates from both:

git fetch origin  # Fetches from your fork
git fetch upstream  # Fetches from the original repo

Common `git fetch` Options¶

Command	What it does?
`git fetch origin`	Fetches only from `origin` (default remote).
`git fetch`	Fetches from all remotes.
`git fetch upstream`	Fetches from `upstream` (if configured).
`git fetch --prune`	Removes deleted remote branches locally.
`git fetch --all`	Fetches from all remotes at once.