Post

Weeks 1–2: Git Fundamentals and Branching

Posted
By Rahul Chandna
10 min read
Weeks 1–2: Git Fundamentals and Branching

Weeks 1–2: Git Fundamentals and Branching

Duration: 80 hours (2 weeks × 5 days × 8 hours)
Level: Graduate/Entry-level
Mode: Full-time immersive training

Weeks 1–2 Overview

Master Git fundamentals, local workflows, remote collaboration, and branching strategies. By end of week, you’ll work confidently with Git in team environments.

##Day 1: Setup and Local Workflows (8 hours)

###Morning Session (9:00 AM - 12:30 PM)

####9:00 - 10:30: Introduction and Setup (1.5 hrs) Module: 01-setup-and-basics.md

  • Course introduction and expectations
  • Git installation verification
  • Global configuration (name, email, default branch)
  • Understanding Git’s three-area model
  • Initialize first repository

Lab 1.1: Setup and First Repository (30 mins)

  • Configure Git with personal details
  • Create git_practice directory
  • Initialize repository
  • Create and track first file

####10:30 - 10:45: Break

####10:45 - 12:30: Local Workflow Fundamentals (1.75 hrs) Module: 02-local-workflow.md

  • Stage and commit workflow
  • Viewing differences: git diff vs git diff --staged
  • Commit history with git log
  • Introduction to .gitignore

Lab 1.2: Complete Commit Workflow (45 mins)

  • Make multiple commits to same file
  • View and compare changes
  • Create .gitignore for temporary files
  • Practice different log formats

####12:30 - 1:30 PM: Lunch Break

###Afternoon Session (1:30 PM - 5:00 PM)

####1:30 - 2:00: vi Editor Quick Start (30 mins) Module: 03-vi-quick-guide.md

  • Why vi matters for developers
  • Essential vi commands
  • Modes: Normal, Insert, Command-line
  • Hands-on practice session

Lab 1.3: vi Practice (30 mins)

  • Create and edit files using only vi
  • Practice navigation and editing
  • Write commit messages in vi

####2:00 - 3:30: Fixing Common Mistakes (1.5 hrs) Module: 04-fixing-mistakes.md

  • Unstaging files: git reset HEAD
  • Uncommitting changes: git reset --soft
  • Understanding reset modes: soft vs hard
  • Modern alternatives: git restore

Lab 1.4: Mistake Recovery Scenarios (45 mins)

  • Intentionally stage wrong files
  • Practice unstaging
  • Commit wrong file and undo safely
  • Use reflog to see HEAD movements

####3:30 - 3:45: Break

####3:45 - 5:00: Day 1 Comprehensive Lab (1.25 hrs)

Project 1.1: Personal Portfolio Repository

  • Create a portfolio project structure
  • Add multiple files (README, index.html, style.css)
  • Make logical commits with clear messages
  • Use .gitignore for temp files
  • Intentionally make and fix 2 mistakes
  • Document your workflow in NOTES.md

Deliverables:

  • Repository with 5+ meaningful commits
  • Clean working directory
  • Proper .gitignore
  • NOTES.md documenting what you learned

##Day 2: Remote Collaboration (8 hours)

###Morning Session (9:00 AM - 12:30 PM)

####9:00 - 9:30: Day 1 Recap and Q&A (30 mins)

  • Review key concepts from Day 1
  • Common issues discussion
  • Quick quiz on basic commands

####9:30 - 11:00: Remote Repository Fundamentals (1.5 hrs) Module: 05-remote-collaboration.md

  • Understanding remote repositories
  • GitHub vs GitLab overview
  • SSH vs HTTPS authentication
  • Adding remote: git remote add origin
  • First push: git push -u origin main
  • Understanding upstream tracking

Lab 2.1: Connect to GitHub (45 mins)

  • Create GitHub account (if needed)
  • Create empty remote repository
  • Connect local Day 1 project to remote
  • Push all commits
  • Verify on GitHub web interface

####11:00 - 11:15: Break

####11:15 - 12:30: Fetch, Pull, and Sync (1.25 hrs)

  • Difference between fetch and pull
  • Remote tracking branches
  • Viewing remote changes before pulling
  • Handling divergent branches
  • Push rejected scenarios

Lab 2.2: Simulating Team Work (45 mins)

  • Add commits via GitHub web interface
  • Use git fetch to see remote changes
  • Use git diff to compare local vs remote
  • Pull changes and verify sync
  • Practice the fetch-diff-pull workflow

####12:30 - 1:30 PM: Lunch Break

###Afternoon Session (1:30 PM - 5:00 PM)

####1:30 - 3:00: Clone and Team Collaboration (1.5 hrs)

  • Cloning repositories: git clone
  • Forking workflow on GitHub
  • Working with multiple remotes
  • Keeping fork synchronized with upstream

Lab 2.3: Clone and Collaborate (1 hour)

  • Clone a public repository
  • Make local changes
  • Push to your fork
  • Add upstream remote
  • Sync with upstream changes

####3:00 - 3:15: Break

####3:15 - 5:00: Day 2 Project (1.75 hrs)

Project 2.1: Team Wiki Simulation

  • Create a “team-wiki” repository
  • Push initial structure to GitHub
  • Add content via web interface (simulating teammate)
  • Pull and add more local content
  • Practice full remote workflow 10+ times
  • Document common scenarios in wiki

Deliverables:

  • Repository on GitHub with 10+ commits
  • Mix of local and remote-first changes
  • Demonstrates fetch-diff-pull workflow
  • Wiki page documenting the workflow

End of Day: Push all work to GitHub

##Day 3: Branching Fundamentals (8 hours)

###Morning Session (9:00 AM - 12:30 PM)

####9:00 - 9:30: Day 2 Recap and Code Review (30 mins)

  • Peer review of Day 2 projects
  • Discuss remote workflow challenges
  • Q&A session

####9:30 - 11:00: Introduction to Branching (1.5 hrs) Module: 06-branching-and-merging.md (Part 1)

  • Why branches matter in team development
  • Understanding branch pointers
  • Creating branches: git branch
  • Switching branches: git checkout and git switch
  • Shortcut: git checkout -b branch-name
  • Viewing all branches: git branch -a

Lab 3.1: First Branches (45 mins)

  • Create 3 feature branches
  • Switch between branches
  • Make commits on different branches
  • Observe file differences when switching
  • Use git log --graph to visualize

####11:00 - 11:15: Break

####11:15 - 12:30: Basic Merging (1.25 hrs)

  • Fast-forward merges
  • Three-way merges
  • Merge commit messages
  • Deleting merged branches
  • Branch naming conventions

Lab 3.2: Merge Practice (45 mins)

  • Create feature branch
  • Make multiple commits
  • Merge back to main
  • Delete feature branch
  • Repeat with 3 different features

####12:30 - 1:30 PM: Lunch Break

###Afternoon Session (1:30 PM - 5:00 PM)

####1:30 - 2:30: Remote Branches (1 hour)

  • Pushing branches to remote
  • Tracking remote branches
  • Fetching remote branches
  • Deleting remote branches
  • Branch protection rules (overview)

Lab 3.3: Remote Branch Workflow (45 mins)

  • Create local branch
  • Push to remote with upstream tracking
  • Make changes and push
  • View branch on GitHub
  • Delete local and remote branches

####2:30 - 2:45: Break

####2:45 - 5:00: Day 3 Project (2.25 hrs)

Project 3.1: Feature Development Simulation Create a simple website project with feature branches:

Base Setup:

  • Repository: website-project
  • main branch with basic HTML structure

Features to Implement(each on separate branch):

  1. feature-header: Add navigation header
  2. feature-footer: Add footer with links
  3. feature-about: Create about page
  4. feature-contact: Create contact form
  5. feature-styles: Add CSS styling

Requirements:

  • Create each feature on separate branch
  • Make 2-3 commits per feature
  • Merge to main one at a time
  • Push each merged feature
  • Delete branches after merging
  • Use proper commit messages

Deliverables:

  • GitHub repository with clean main branch
  • 5 completed and merged features
  • Clean branch list (no leftover feature branches)
  • Linear history (fast-forward merges)

##Day 4: Merge Conflicts and Resolution (8 hours)

###Morning Session (9:00 AM - 12:30 PM)

####9:00 - 9:30: Day 3 Recap and Branch Review (30 mins)

  • Review Day 3 projects
  • Discuss branching strategies
  • Common branching mistakes

####9:30 - 11:30: Understanding Merge Conflicts (2 hrs) Module: 06-branching-and-merging.md (Part 2)

  • What causes merge conflicts
  • Conflict markers: <<<<<<<, =======, >>>>>>>
  • Reading conflict indicators
  • Strategies for resolution
  • Tools for conflict resolution

Demo: Live conflict creation and resolution (30 mins)

Lab 4.1: Intentional Conflicts (1 hour)

  • Create conflicting changes on two branches
  • Attempt merge
  • Read and understand conflict markers
  • Resolve conflicts manually
  • Complete merge commit
  • Repeat 5 times with different scenarios

####11:30 - 11:45: Break

####11:45 - 12:30: Advanced Conflict Scenarios (45 mins)

  • Multiple file conflicts
  • Binary file conflicts
  • Choosing merge strategies
  • Using git mergetool
  • Aborting merges: git merge --abort

Lab 4.2: Complex Conflicts (30 mins)

  • Create conflicts in 3 files simultaneously
  • Resolve one at a time
  • Verify resolution with tests
  • Complete merge

####12:30 - 1:30 PM: Lunch Break

###Afternoon Session (1:30 PM - 5:00 PM)

####1:30 - 3:00: Team Conflict Resolution Simulation (1.5 hrs)

Lab 4.3: Pair Programming - Conflict Resolution

  • Pair up with another student
  • Both modify same files
  • Take turns merging and resolving
  • Practice communication during conflicts
  • Document resolution strategies

####3:00 - 3:15: Break

####3:15 - 5:00: Day 4 Project (1.75 hrs)

Project 4.1: Collaborative Blog Platform

Scenario: Two team members (you playing both roles) work on same blog.

Setup:

  • Create blog-platform repository
  • Initial structure with blog posts

Conflict Scenarios to Practice:

  1. Both edit same blog post intro
  2. Both add images to same section
  3. Both modify same CSS rules
  4. Both update same config file
  5. Both edit same JavaScript function

Requirements:

  • Create each conflict intentionally
  • Document conflict before resolving
  • Resolve each conflict correctly
  • Test that resolved code works
  • Write CONFLICT-RESOLUTION-LOG.md documenting each conflict and solution

Deliverables:

  • Repository with 5 resolved merge conflicts
  • CONFLICT-RESOLUTION-LOG.md with:
  • What caused each conflict
  • How you resolved it
  • Lessons learned
  • All conflicts properly resolved and merged

Day 5: Project and Assessment (8 hours)

###Morning Session (9:00 AM - 12:30 PM)

####9:00 - 10:00: Week 1 Review (1 hour)

  • Recap Days 1-4
  • Key concepts review
  • Command cheat sheet review
  • Best practices discussion
  • Q&A session

Module: 08-cheatsheet-and-practice.md

####10:00 - 10:15: Break

####10:15 - 12:30: Week 1 Assessment (2.25 hrs)

Written Assessment(45 mins): Module: 09-student-worksheet.md

  • Complete all sections
  • Command recall
  • Concept understanding
  • Scenario-based questions

Practical Assessment(1.5 hrs): Individual tasks performed under observation:

  1. Initialize repository and make 5 commits
  2. Create and merge 2 branches
  3. Intentionally create and resolve merge conflict
  4. Push and sync with remote
  5. Use vi to edit commit messages

####12:30 - 1:30 PM: Lunch Break

###Afternoon Session (1:30 PM - 5:00 PM)

####1:30 - 4:30: Week 1 Capstone Project (3 hrs)

Project 1.1: Task Management Application

Requirements: Build a simple task management system from scratch using proper Git workflow.

Specifications:

  • Repository: task-manager-v1
  • Must have README with setup instructions
  • HTML structure for task list
  • CSS for styling
  • JavaScript for basic functionality
  • Use proper .gitignore

Git Workflow Requirements:

  1. Start from initialized repository
  2. Create these branches and features:
    • feature-html-structure: Basic HTML layout
    • feature-css-design: Styling and responsive design
    • feature-add-task: JavaScript to add tasks
    • feature-delete-task: JavaScript to delete tasks
    • feature-filter-tasks: Filter completed/active tasks
  3. Each feature must:
    • Be developed on separate branch
    • Have minimum 3 meaningful commits
    • Be merged to main via proper merge
    • Be pushed to GitHub after merging

  4. Create at least 2 intentional merge conflicts and resolve them

  5. Throughout development:
    • Commit frequently with clear messages
    • Use git status before every commit
    • Push after every feature completion
    • Maintain clean working directory

Deliverables:

  • GitHub repository with complete project
  • Minimum 20 commits with clear messages
  • Clean git history showing all feature branches
  • Working task manager (doesn’t need to be perfect)
  • DEVELOPMENT-LOG.md documenting:
  • Each feature branch created
  • Conflicts encountered and resolutions
  • Git commands used
  • Challenges faced

####4:30 - 5:00: Week 1 Wrap-up (30 mins)

  • Project demonstrations (volunteers)
  • Week 1 feedback collection
  • Weeks 3–4 preview
  • Individual feedback sessions

Weeks 1–2 Learning Outcomes

By end of Weeks 1–2, you should be able to:

Setup and Configuration- Install and configure Git

  • Set up SSH keys for GitHub
  • Configure global and local settings

Local Git Operations- Initialize repositories

  • Stage and commit changes
  • View diffs and history
  • Use .gitignore effectively
  • Undo mistakes safely

Remote Collaboration- Connect to remote repositories

  • Push and pull changes
  • Use fetch to preview changes
  • Clone repositories
  • Handle push rejections

Branching and Merging- Create and switch branches

  • Merge branches (fast-forward and three-way)
  • Push and track remote branches
  • Delete local and remote branches

Conflict Resolution- Understand conflict markers

  • Resolve merge conflicts manually
  • Use conflict resolution strategies
  • Test resolved code
  • Complete merge commits

Professional Practices- Write clear commit messages

  • Commit frequently and logically
  • Use git status as safety check
  • Maintain clean working directory
  • Follow branch naming conventions

##Daily Homework (Optional but Recommended)

Day 1: Create personal GitHub profile README
Day 2: Clone and explore 2 open source projects
Day 3: Create a branch strategy diagram for your capstone project
Day 4: Document 3 real-world conflict scenarios
Day 5: Write reflection on Week 1 learning

##Resources for Week 1

##Success Criteria

To pass Week 1:

  • Complete all daily labs
  • Pass written assessment (70%+)
  • Pass practical assessment
  • Submit Week 1 capstone project
  • Demonstrate proficiency in:
  • Basic Git operations
  • Branching and merging
  • Conflict resolution
  • Remote collaboration

Next: WEEK-2-CURRICULUM.md - Weeks 3–4: Advanced Workflows and Team Collaboration

Graduate Training, Git
Graduate Training
This post is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by the author.