Looking for Git and GitHub Learning Resources - Recommendations?

[ahmed-khalid-3398]

Hi everyone! 👋

I'm interested in learning more about Git and GitHub, and I came across the Discover section which mentions blog posts, articles, and tips & tricks from employees and users.

I found the recent "20 Years of Git, 2 days at GitHub HQ: Git Merge 2025 highlights" article really interesting!

I'd love to hear from the community:

• What are your favorite Git/GitHub learning resources?
• Are there any must-read blog posts for someone improving their Git skills?
• Any tips & tricks you wish you knew earlier?

I'm particularly interested in understanding best practices for branching strategies, collaboration workflows, and any hidden GitHub features that are super useful.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations! 🙏

[RaneemSadeh]

Hey there! 👋 Great question! Here are some excellent resources and tips for learning Git and GitHub:
Must-Read Blog Posts & Articles:

GitHub Blog's "Getting Started" series - Official guides that cover fundamentals really well
"Oh Shit, Git!" (ohshitgit.com) - A lifesaver for when things go wrong. Practical solutions to common Git problems
Atlassian Git Tutorials - Comprehensive guides on branching, merging, and workflows

Best Practices I Wish I Knew Earlier:

Commit Early, Commit Often - Make small, logical commits with clear messages. Future you will be grateful!
Branch Naming Conventions - Use prefixes like feature/, bugfix/, hotfix/ to keep things organized

feature/user-authentication
bugfix/login-error

Write Meaningful Commit Messages - Follow the format:

First line: Brief summary (50 chars or less)
Blank line
Detailed explanation if needed

Use .gitignore from Day One - Don't accidentally commit sensitive data or unnecessary files

Branching Strategies:

GitHub Flow - Simple and effective for most projects: main branch + feature branches
Git Flow - More structured for complex projects with releases

Hidden GitHub Features:

GitHub CLI (gh) - Manage PRs, issues, and repos from your terminal
Keyboard Shortcuts - Press ? on any GitHub page to see shortcuts
Saved Replies - Create templates for common responses in issues/PRs
GitHub Actions - Automate workflows (CI/CD, testing, deployments)
Code Search - Use advanced search operators to find code across repos

Interactive Learning:

GitHub Skills (skills.github.com) - Interactive courses built by GitHub
Learn Git Branching - Visual, interactive tutorial in your browser
Pro Git Book - Free and comprehensive (git-scm.com/book)

My Top Tip: Don't be afraid to experiment in a test repository. Create branches, make mistakes, practice merging conflicts - it's the best way to learn!
What specific aspect of Git/GitHub are you most interested in diving deeper into? Happy to provide more targeted resources! 🚀

[adhammenesy]

Hi! 👋

It’s great that you’re diving deeper into Git and GitHub. Here are some resources and tips that might help you:

Learning Resources

• Git Official Documentation: https://git-scm.com/doc – The most complete reference.
• GitHub Learning Lab: https://lab.github.com/ – Interactive tutorials on Git, GitHub, and workflows.
• Pro Git Book (Free): https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2 – Excellent for beginners and advanced users.
• GitHub Blog: https://github.blog/ – Posts from GitHub employees, new features, and tips.

Must-Read Blog Posts / Articles

• “Git Merge Highlights” – for insights on Git’s evolution.
• “Understanding GitHub Actions” – useful if you want to automate workflows.
• “Effective Branching Strategies” – guides on GitFlow, trunk-based, and feature branching.

Tips & Tricks

• Use git rebase carefully to keep your history clean.
• Branch naming conventions help teams collaborate efficiently (e.g., feature/xyz, bugfix/abc).
• Pull request templates and code owners are great for team workflows.
• Explore GitHub features like Projects, Discussions, and Saved Replies.

✅ TL;DR
Use GitHub Learning Lab, Pro Git Book, and GitHub Blog; follow branching strategies and team workflows; leverage hidden GitHub features for collaboration.

[Mahdi-hasan-shuvo]

Essential Learning Resources:

Official & Free:

• GitHub Skills (skills.github.com) - Interactive, hands-on tutorials
• Pro Git Book (git-scm.com/book) - Comprehensive, free online
• GitHub Docs (docs.github.com) - Well-organized reference

Best Practices - Branching:

• Git Flow - Feature branches, develop/main model
• GitHub Flow - Simpler: main + feature branches + PRs
• Trunk-Based Development - Short-lived branches, frequent merges

Hidden Gems You'll Love:

1. GitHub CLI (gh) - Manage PRs/issues from terminal
2. . key - Press on any repo to open VS Code in browser
3. Keyboard shortcuts - Press ? on GitHub for full list
4. Saved replies - Automate common PR comments
5. Draft PRs - Work-in-progress without notifications
6. Code owners - Auto-assign reviewers (CODEOWNERS file)
7. GitHub Actions - Free CI/CD for public repos

Commands I Wish I Knew Earlier:

git commit --amend          # Fix last commit
git rebase -i HEAD~3        # Clean up history
git reflog                  # Recover "lost" commits
git bisect                  # Find bug-introducing commit
git stash                   # Save work without committing

Must-Read Concepts:

• Rebase vs Merge (when to use each)
• Atomic commits (one logical change per commit)
• Writing good commit messages
• Interactive rebase for clean history

Practice Site:

• learngitbranching.js.org - Visual, interactive Git learning

Start with GitHub Flow—it's simpler and matches how most teams work!