Git Guide¶

Git is the most commonly used distributed version control system for anyone working with a code repository. Git allows the user to create a local copy of the remote repository and sync changes onto the server.

Git is available as a set of CLI tools on different platforms to perform operations such as initialize, add, commit, pull and push on the repository and more advanced operations such as branch, merge and rebase. Git works with GitHub, GitLab and Gerrit workflows.

Note

What is Git?

Pro Git book on git-scm.com

Prerequisites¶

Install Git.

For Debian based systems:
```
sudo apt-get install git -y
```
For rpm based systems:
```
sudo dnf install git -y
```
For MacOS systems, install homebrew and install Git
```
brew install git
```

Setup Git config¶

To change the author name or email used to sign off a commit use the command.

git config --local user.name "Your Name"
git config --local user.email yourname@example.com

To change the Git commit editor to vim run the command.

git config --global core.editor "vim"

To always sign a commit by default.

git config --global gpg.gpgsign true

To set the default gpg2 program:

git config --global gpg.program $(which gpg2)

Sample .gitconfig¶

Sample $HOME/.gitconfig with other useful settings.

[user]
  name = <User Name>
  email = user@example.com
  signingkey = XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
[core]
  editor = vim
  pager = less -R
[credential]
  helper = cache --timeout=3600
[gitreview]
  username = askb
[color]
  ui = auto
[rerere]
  enabled = true
[commit]
  gpgsign = true
[gpg]
  program = /usr/bin/gpg2
[push]
  sign = if-asked
[status]
  submoduleSummary = false
[alias]
  co = checkout

Clone a repository¶

To clone a Git repository.

git clone ssh://<user_name>@git.example.org:29418/<repository>.git

Note

Use the --recursive-submodule option if repository has Git submodules.

Auto Generate Change IDs¶

To generate a change-id automatically for each patch:

      git clone ssh://USERNAME@gerrit.linuxfoundation.org:29418/releng/docs
      scp -p -P 29418 USERNAME@gerrit.linuxfoundation.org:hooks/commit-msg docs/.git/hooks/

Pull Down New Source¶

To pull updates from the remote repository and rebase changes on your local branch.

git pull --rebase

Repository status¶

To check the status of the repository.

git status

Create a branch¶

To create a local branch from master.

git checkout -b <branch-name> origin/master

List branches¶

To see the available list of branches

git branch

Switching between branches¶

To switch between a branch and the master within your repository.

git checkout <branch-name>
git checkout master

Delete local branch¶

To delete a local branch (not active one).

This is typically done

when a patch has merged.

when a review has completed.

git branch -d <branch-to-delete>

If the above does not work, do a force delete.

Before performing a force delete, analyze and check why the normal delete did not work.

git branch -D <branch-to-delete>

Add a file¶

To stage a file modified in your local repository.

git add <path/to/file>

Commit a change¶

To commit a change to your local repository.

git add <path/to/file>
git commit --signoff --gpg-sign

Note

The –signoff (or -s) adds a “Signed-off-by” line in the commit footer. The –gpg-sign (or -S) signs the commit with the GPG key.

Amend a change¶

To amend a change in your local repository.

git add <path/to/file>
git commit --amend

Note

The –signoff (or -s) adds a “Signed-off-by” line in the commit footer. The –gpg-sign (or -S) signs the commit with the GPG key.

Discard a change¶

To discard changes introduced in the last commit.

git reset --hard HEAD~1

Cherry-pick a commit¶

To copy a commit from between branches use the git cherry-pick command.

git checkout <from-branch>
git log                        # note <commit-id> from the output
git checkout <to-branch>
git cherry-pick <commit-id>    # use the <commit-id> noted earlier

Stash changes¶

To stash your work temporarily and move between branches.

git stash                      # stash the modified files temporarily
git checkout <new-branch>
git stash pop                  # pop the modified changes

Log of recent changes¶

To view a log of the recent changes.

git log

To revert change partially in a commit¶

To revert changes to one or more files in a commit.

git log    # note the <commit-id>
git show <commit-id> -- <file> | git apply -R # Revert the <file> in <commit-id>
git add <file>
git commit --signoff --gpg-sign --amend

Git Merge Conflicts¶

During rebase with master, a merge conflict might occur.

Open the conflicted file in an editor
Search for “<<<<”
Observe the code between “<<<<” to “>>>>” and delete wrong parts (including <<<<, ====, >>>>)

When done, add file and continue rebase.

git add <modified file>
git rebase --continue

Continue this process, until rebase has completed.

Workflow Sample 1¶

Existing patch with comments in Gerrit, or a new patch.

Clone the Git repository.

Please look at Clone a repository.

Download an existing patch, or create a new.

Download existing patch and rebase

git review -d <Gerrit patch number>
git fetch origin
git rebase origin/master

Create new patch/branch.
```
git branch -b my_special_fix
```

Correct the patch - code - unit test - release document - commit message
Run tox locally (if applicable) to ensure unit tests and lint are passing with no errors.
```
tox
```
Go back to previous step and correct any issues reported by tox.
Add files to Git.
```
git add <each individual file>
```
Commit files If first time to commit

… code-block:: bash

git commit –signoff –gpg-sign –verbose

If not first time to commit

… code-block:: bash

git commit –amend
Rebase against master.
```
git fetch origin
git rebase origin/master
```
If merge conflict occurs, solve this as in Git Merge Conflicts and repeat previous two steps.
Push changes to Gerrit.
```
git review
```
Clean up When the patch has merged, delete the branch

Follow instructions in Delete local branch

Workflow Sample 2¶

How to manage a big script, by submitting smaller patches which are depending on each other.

Analyze the code - Find code blocks that are small with no dependencies - Find code blocks that are small with dependencies on previous code.
For instance,
- each function by itself
- common declarations
- each class by itself etc.
Key areas:
- Each patch is building on the previous patch.
- Each patch contains test unit code to fully test the new code in this patch.
- Each patch passes all tox checks.
First patch : Do Workflow Sample 1
Next patch - Add the code for the next patch - Submit it according to Workflow Sample 1 (from Correct the patch step)

Remember to do ‘git commit –signoff –gpg-sign –verbose’, to submit a new patch.
Go to the previous step, until all patches submitted.
Now you should have a set of patches, like: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 who are all building on each other.

Workflow Sample 3¶

How to change a patch set.

To change the patch set (one or more).

Ensure that master is up to date.

git checkout master
git fetch origin
git rebase origin/master

Checkout, and rebase.

git review -d <my_patch_set last patch number>
git rebase origin/master

Rebase interactive.
```
git rebase -i
```
Change from ‘pick’ to ‘edit’ for the patch numbers to be review/modified.
Change files.

Add, and continue with rebase.

git add <modified file>
git rebase --continue

Repeat previous two steps, until rebase finish.

Good to rebase.

git fetch origin
git rebase origin/master

Time to submit patch.
```
git review
```

Workflow Sample 4¶

How to download an earlier version of the patch set and push it as the latest version.

git review -d <my_patch_set last patch number>,<second last patch set no>
git review

Alternative

git pull <https link to the last patch, second last patch set no>
git review

Example: There are 5 different versions of patch 13734.

Example with review
```
git review -d 13734,4
```

Example with git pull

git pull https://gerrit.linuxfoundation.org/infra/releng/lftools refs/changes/34/13734/4