“Git Made Simple: A Beginner's Guide Using VS Code, Terminal, and Eclipse”
Just stepping into the world of software development, you’ll hear the word Git a lot. But what exactly is Git? And why is it so important for software engineers?
Let’s break it down in simple terms.
Git is a version control system — a tool that helps you keep track of changes you make to your code over time.
In today’s agile world, version control isn't just for developers. Testers—especially automation testers—must also understand Git basics to collaborate better, track test script changes, and contribute effectively to the team.
Why Do Software Engineers Need Git?
1. Tracking Changes - Git keeps a full history of every change made in a project — who made it, what was changed, and when
2. Undoing Mistakes -Made a mistake? No problem. Git lets you go back to any previous version of your code, saving hours of stress and rework.
3. Working in Teams -Most software today is built by teams, not just individuals. Git allows multiple people to work on the same project at the same time without overwriting each other's work. It keeps everyone's changes organized and makes combining them easy.
4. Experimenting Safely -Git lets you create a branch — a separate copy of your code — where you can experiment freely.
If Git feels intimidating, don’t worry. In this post, we’ll walk through simple Git workflows using:
Visual Studio Code
Command Prompt / Terminal
Eclipse Git Integration
Basic Git Workflow
Here’s the basic flow you need to master:
Clone a repository
Create a new branch
Add changes
Commit changes with a meaningful message
Push the changes to remote
(Optional) Create a Pull Request to merge into the main code
How to Use Git Through Command Prompt / Terminal
Open git bash / Terminal
Enter the below commands for each step in the bash
Step 1: Clone a Repository
git clone https://github.com/your-repo-url.git
cd your-repo-name
this command will allow you to connect to your repository in GitHub
git status
to know the latest status if the branch / repo
Step 2: Add, Commit, and Push
git add .
git commit -m "Added new login test case"
git push origin main
Step 3: Pull the Latest Changes
git pull origin main
Step 4: Create and Switch Branches
git checkout -b feature/new-login-tests
Insight :
Always pull before you push to avoid conflicts!
Use git status to check your current working state.
Tip: Always pull the latest changes from main or master before starting (git pull origin main).
Quick look :
Command | What It Does |
git clone [url] | Copy a repo to your local machine. |
git status | Check what changes are pending. |
git add . | Stage all changes for commit. |
git commit -m "Message" | Save a snapshot with a message. |
git push | Upload your commits to the remote repo. |
git pull | Get the latest changes from the remote repo. |
git checkout -b [branch_name] | Create and switch to a new branch. |
git merge [branch_name] | Merge a branch into your current branch. |
Also another way around , if you want to initialize git in a particular project ,
Navigate to your project folder ,
1. Double click on the folder and right click
Select show more option
3. click on open git bash here
Result: eases the process of initiating the git.
Advanced Git Commands
Feature | Purpose | Command Example |
stash | Save unfinished work temporarily | git stash |
revert | Undo a specific commit safely | git revert <commit-hash> |
rebase | Create a cleaner, linear history | git rebase <branch> |
cherry-pick | Apply a specific commit from another branch | git cherry-pick <commit-hash> |
tag | Mark important points like releases | git tag v1.0 |
clean | Remove untracked files or folders | git clean -fd |
log --graph | See a visual tree of commits | git log --oneline --graph --all |
amend | Modify the last commit (message or content) | git commit --amend |
Hack : Similarly, you can select Git GUI, which gives a user-friendly interface to access git repositories
Git Through Eclipse (Egit Plugin)
If you are an Eclipse user, Git integration (called Egit) is built in!
Step 1: Clone or Import a Git Repository
File ➔ Import ➔ Git ➔ Projects from Git ➔ Clone URI.
Enter the GitHub repo URL and follow the prompts.
Create a new branch:
Right-click the project → Team → Switch To → New Branch.
Step 2: Commit Changes
Right-click on the project ➔ Team ➔ Commit.
Enter a commit message ➔ Select the files ➔ Click Commit and Push.
Step 3: Pull and Push
Right-click on the project ➔ Team ➔ Pull before you start working.
After making changes, Team ➔ Push to Upstream.
Step 4: Create New Branch
Right-click ➔ Team ➔ Switch To ➔ New Branch ➔ Give a branch name.
Visual Tip: EGit will show red (unstaged) and green (staged) icons for files to help you track changes.
Other ways to open git in eclipse
Windows ➔ show view➔ other➔ Git Repositories
We can use terminal also in eclipse to work as similarly in git bash using same commands
Windows ➔ show view➔ terminal
Git Through Visual Studio Code
VS Code has built-in Git support that makes life super easy.
Basic Steps:
Clone a repository:
Open VS Code.
Click on Source Control (🔃 icon on the sidebar).
Select Clone Repository → Paste repo URL → Choose a folder.
Enter the git repository to clone in the bar and authorize , then enter your Git hub password and it authorizes and lists all the repositories you have in your git account.
Create a branch:
Bottom left corner → Click branch name → Create new branch.
Make changes to your test scripts.
U – Unstaged shows changes are made to file and need to staged
Stage and Commit:
Under Source Control, you’ll see changed files.
Click + to stage → Write a commit message → Click ✔️ to commit.
Enter the commit message
Push Changes:
Click the "Synchronize Changes" button on the bottom bar.
Or use the menu: Source Control → Push.
Open in GitHub and see if your latest changes are pushed to the branch
Suggestion : Use extensions like GitLens to visualize commit history easily!
Takeaways we should avoid in Git
Don’t commit without pulling the latest code first.
(Use git pull before you start working.)
Don’t push directly to main or master.
(Always work on a branch and open a Pull Request.)
Write clear, meaningful commit messages.
(E.g., “Added password reset positive test case” instead of just “changes”.)
Reference Table
Action | VS Code | Terminal | Eclipse Git |
Clone Repository | GUI Clone | git clone | Import from Git |
Create Branch | Click branch name → New Branch | git checkout -b <branch> | Team → Switch To → New Branch |
Stage Changes | + button | git add . | Select files in Commit dialog |
Commit Changes | ✔️ checkmark | git commit -m "message" | Team → Commit |
Push Branch | Sync Changes button | git push origin <branch> | Team → Push |
Core Git Concepts
Git Term | Meaning |
Repository (Repo) | A place where your code is stored (locally or online like GitHub). |
Commit | A snapshot of your changes. |
Branch | A parallel version of your code for experimentation. |
Merge | Bringing changes from one branch into another. |
Push/Pull | Syncing between your local machine and the remote repository. |
Git and GitHub — Are They the Same?
You might also hear about GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket. Git is the tool that runs on your computer to track changes. GitHub (and others) are online platforms where you can store your Git projects and collaborate with others over the internet. Think of Git as your personal notebook, and GitHub as a library where you can share your notebook with others.
So to have a virtual experience you can view your repository and project updates on GIT HUB
GitHub Tasks
Feature | 💬 How the Feature is Used |
📁 Repository Creation | "Use repositories to organize and manage project code, documentation, and version control in one centralized location." |
👥 Collaborator Access | "Add team members as collaborators to enable shared access, role-based permissions, and real-time contributions across remote teams." |
🔍 Commit History | "View commit logs and file changes to track code evolution, review updates, and ensure accountability in team contributions." |
💻 Git Commands | "Use commands like git commit, git push, and git pull in Bash, Eclipse, or Visual Studio to manage source code versions and sync with GitHub." |
🌿 Branching Strategy | "Create and manage feature branches to isolate development work, test changes independently, and merge updates without disrupting the main codebase." |
🔄 Pull Requests & Reviews | "Initiate pull requests to propose code changes, request peer reviews, and manage approvals before merging into shared branches." |
💬 Issues & Discussions | "Leverage GitHub Issues and Discussions for task tracking, bug reporting, feature planning, and asynchronous team communication." |
Getting started with Git might seem tricky, but with tools like VS Code, the terminal, or even Eclipse, you’ve got plenty of ways to make it work for you. Just remember—every pro was once a beginner who didn’t give up. Keep experimenting, break things (safely!), and have fun along the way.
"The expert in anything was once a beginner." – Helen Hayes
