How to Install and Configure Git on Ubuntu 24.04

Git is an open-source, distributed version control system that helps developers track changes in their projects efficiently. It enables multiple contributors to collaborate seamlessly on a single codebase, maintaining a detailed history of all modifications. Git is widely used with platforms like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket, which provide remote repository management and synchronization features.

This guide will walk you through the installation and configuration of Git on Ubuntu 24.04, ensuring you have the latest version and know how to set up both local and remote repositories.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding with the installation, ensure you have the following:

• Access to an Ubuntu 24.04 system.
• A user account with sudo privileges (non-root).

Checking the Pre-installed Git Version

Ubuntu 24.04 includes Git by default, but it may not be the most recent version. Before installing a new version, check the one already available on your system:

Check the Installed Git Version

$ git --version

The output should look like this:

git version 2.43.0

Verify Git Functionality

$ git

If Git is unavailable or outdated, follow the steps below to install the latest version.

Installing Git Using APT

Git can be installed using the default APT package manager on Ubuntu 24.04. Follow these steps to install the latest stable version:

Add the Git PPA Repository

$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:git-core/ppa

Update the APT Package Index

$ sudo apt update

Install Git

$ sudo apt install git -y

To install Git along with all additional tools, use the following command:

$ sudo apt install git-all

Configuring Git

After installation, configure Git with your personal details to ensure commits are properly attributed:

Set Your Git Username and Email

$ git config --global user.name "Your Name"
$ git config --global user.email "email@example.com"

Verify Git Configuration

$ git config --list

To make direct modifications to the Git configuration without using commands, open the .gitconfig file located in your home directory.

$ nano ~/.gitconfig

Using Git on Ubuntu 24.04

Follow these step-by-step instructions to set up and use Git in your project environment.

Creating a Project Directory

Begin by setting up a new folder to organize your Git project, such as demo-project.

$ mkdir demo-project

Move into the Project Folder

Switch to the newly created directory.

$ cd demo-project

Generate a Sample File

Create a text file containing an initial message.

$ echo "Greetings from centron, Git Works!!" > file.txt

Initialize a Git Repository

Set up Git tracking in the project directory.

$ git init

Stage Files for Commit

Add all project files to the staging area before committing.

$ git add .

Stage a Single File

Instead of staging all files, you can select a specific file.

$ git add file.txt

Commit Changes

Record your modifications by creating a commit.

$ git commit -m "First Commit" -a

Commit a Specific File Using Git

To commit only a particular file instead of all changes, use the following command:

$ git commit -m "Initial Commit" file.txt

View Commit History

Display the history of commits in your repository.

$ git log

Check Repository Status

Review the status of tracked and untracked files.

$ git status

Connecting a Local Repository to a Remote Git Repository

To link your local repository with a remote repository, add the remote repository and assign it the alias origin.

$ git remote add origin 

Check Configured Remote Repositories

List all configured remote repositories to confirm the connection.

$ git remote -v

Push Local Changes to a Remote Repository

Upload all committed changes from your local repository to the remote repository’s main branch.

$ git push origin main

Ensure you have write permissions to the remote repository before pushing changes.

Pull the Latest Updates from a Remote Repository

Retrieve and merge any new changes from the remote repository.

$ git pull origin main

List All Available Branches

Check the existing branches in the current repository.

$ git branch -a

Understanding Branch Listings

An asterisk (*) next to a branch name indicates the currently active branch. The presence of /remotes/origin/master shows that a branch named master exists on the remote repository.

Create a New Git Branch

To create and switch to a new branch (e.g., demo-branch), use the following command:

$ git checkout -b demo-branch

Output:

Switched to a new branch 'demo-branch'

Branches allow for parallel development environments, such as separate branches for development and production.

Switch to an Existing Git Branch

To move to an existing branch (e.g., demo-branch), use:

$ git checkout demo-branch

Check the Active Branch

View the currently active branch.

$ git branch

Output:

* demo-branch
  master

Switch Back to the Master Branch

Return to the main branch (master) using:

$ git checkout master

Output:

Switched to branch 'master'

Merge a Branch into Master

To integrate changes from demo-branch into the master branch, use:

$ git merge master --no-ff

Push Merged Changes to Remote

Once merged, push the updated master branch to the remote repository.

$ git push origin

Clone a Remote Repository

To create a local copy of a remote Git repository, use the git clone command. For example, to clone the Nginx repository:

$ git clone https://github.com/nginx/nginx