Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →To get started with Git, install it using the official instructions for your operating system, configure the name and email attached to your commits, then either initialize a repository for a project you already have or clone an existing project. For a first commit, check the changes, stage the files you want included, review the staged snapshot, and commit it.
What Git does
Git is a distributed version control system. It records a project’s history so you can review earlier work and develop changes over time. A repository contains that history; its working tree is the files you open and edit.
Git does not automatically put every edit into a commit. It separates your working-tree changes from the selected content in the staging area, also called the index. That separation lets you choose what the next commit will contain.
Install Git and confirm it works
Installation steps vary by operating system, distribution, and package manager. Use the official Git installation page for current instructions rather than relying on a command that may not apply to your platform. Windows users can follow the Windows instructions; Linux users should select their distribution’s package-manager guidance. The page also provides platform-specific directions for other systems.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
#1 Best Overall
After installation, open a terminal or command prompt and run:
git --versionGit should print the installed version. If the command is not found, finish installation or check that Git is available on your command-line path.
Set the name and email for your commits
Before committing, set the name and email Git should record as the author identity. Replace the example values with your own:
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"
git config --list--global sets these values for your user account. Git also supports system-wide settings that apply to all users on a computer and local settings that apply only to one repository. A more specific setting overrides a broader one, so a repository can use a different identity when needed. The Pro Git setup guide explains the configuration scopes.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #2
If you want newly initialized repositories to start on a branch named main, you can set that default with:
git config --global init.defaultBranch mainThis changes the default used when initializing new repositories; it does not rename the branch in an existing repository.
Choose how to start a repository
Use git init when you already have a project directory on your computer and want to begin tracking it. Use git clone when you want a working copy of a project that already exists in a remote repository.
| Starting point | Command | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Your existing local project | git init |
Creates Git repository metadata in the directory. |
| An existing remote project | git clone <repository-url> |
Obtains a working copy and repository history from the remote. |
How do I make my first commit?
Create a repository for a new local project
In a terminal, run this example to create a small project, initialize Git, add a README, and record the first commit:
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →mkdir hello-git
cd hello-git
git init
printf '# Hello Gitn' > README.md
git status
git add README.md
git diff --cached
git commit -m "Add README"
git log --onelinegit init creates an empty repository in the current directory. It is also safe to run in an existing repository. git status shows the state of the working tree and staging area. After git add README.md, git diff --cached displays what is staged and about to be committed. git commit records that staged content with the message you provide; git log --oneline shows a compact history including the new commit.
Understand staging before you commit
git add stages file contents as they are at the moment the command runs. If you edit a file again afterward, the new edits are not automatically added to the staged snapshot; run git add again for those changes. Use git diff to compare unstaged working-tree changes with the index, and git diff --cached to inspect the staged changes.
This makes staging useful when you want a commit to contain only selected work. Check the staged diff before committing so the commit matches what you intend to record.
Clone an existing project
If a project is already available in a remote repository, clone it instead of initializing an unrelated repository in a new directory. Replace the placeholder with the repository URL supplied by its host or project owner:
git clone <repository-url>
cd <repository-directory>
git statusCloning creates a project directory containing the working-tree files and a .git directory that stores repository history and metadata. The exact directory name normally comes from the repository unless you specify a different destination. The official git clone reference describes its options.
Use status and history to understand your work
git statustells you which changes are unstaged, staged, or not yet tracked.git diffshows unstaged differences between the working tree and the index.git diff --cachedshows what is selected for the next commit.git log --onelineprovides a compact view of recorded commits.
These commands answer different questions: what has changed, what is prepared for the next commit, and what has already been recorded.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use branches to work on changes separately
A branch is a line of development in a repository. It lets you work on a change separately from another branch, such as the project’s main line. List branches, create a branch and switch to it, then merge its work into the branch you have checked out:
git branch
git switch -c topic-name
# make and commit changes on this branch
git switch main
git merge topic-nameReplace topic-name with a useful name for the work. The final two commands assume your main branch is named main; if the repository uses a different name, switch to that branch instead. A merge can encounter conflicts when changes overlap; resolving those conflicts is a separate skill, not a prerequisite for making your first commit.
Best Value
Share work and get updates through a remote
A remote is a reference to another copy of a repository, often hosted by a Git service. Cloning usually sets up a remote for the source repository. In a local project initialized with git init, you will need a remote destination before you can share commits with a host.
git fetchretrieves updates from a remote without integrating them into your current branch.git pullretrieves remote updates and integrates them into the current branch.git pushsends local commits to a remote so they can be shared.
These commands depend on the remote being configured, and hosted collaboration also requires whatever access and authentication setup that provider uses. For command details, see the Git project’s official reference documentation.
Where to learn more
The Git project’s Pro Git book is available to read online for free and covers Git beyond the first few commands. The project’s Learn Git page points readers to learning resources. A printed Pro Git second edition is also offered through Amazon according to the Learn page, but buying a print copy is optional.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
