Introduction to Git

Version control is an indispensable skill for anyone writing software today, whether working alone on a research script or collaborating with a team on a large codebase. Git has become the universal standard for tracking code changes, and mastering it enables developers to confidently experiment, recover mistakes, trace the origin of bugs, and collaborate without overwriting each other’s work. This course introduces Git from first principles: how the repository model works, how commits and branches are structured, and how to interact with remote repositories on platforms such as GitHub or GitLab.

Participants use Git from both the command line and within VS Code, working through realistic solo and collaborative scenarios.

Level: Beginner

Language: English (German upon request for bespoke courses)

Price and Eligibility: Refer to the registration page for each event (generally free of charge for members of academia from Europe).

Knowledge

  • Familiarity with the Linux command line (navigating directories, editing files, running commands)
  • Familiarity with text editors such as vim and IDEs such as Visual Studio Code

Technical

After completing this course, you will be able to:

  • Explain the core concepts of version control and the Git repository model (working tree, index, commits, branches)
  • Create and clone repositories and manage their configuration
  • Commit changes, browse history, and navigate between versions
  • Create, merge, and delete branches for feature development and experimentation
  • Synchronize work with remote repositories by pushing, pulling, and fetching
  • Resolve merge conflicts and recover from common mistakes
  • Use Git from the command line and from within VS Code

  • Version control concepts: why Git, the repository model, and key terminology
  • Working with repositories: init, clone, staging, committing, and inspecting history
  • Branching and merging: creating branches, merging strategies, and conflict resolution
  • Remote repositories: push, pull, fetch, and working with GitHub or GitLab
  • Practical workflows: solo development, collaborative development, and common recovery scenarios

  • 2026, Nov 2-3: two half-day online course in collaboration with NHR@KIT (Register)

  • 2026, Mar 12-13: two half-day online course in collaboration with NHR@KIT

For an overview of all NHR@FAU courses, visit the course overview page.