How to Install and Use Git on Windows & Mac

Git is a version control system that helps developers manage their code efficiently. Whether you're working on personal projects or collaborating with a team, installing Git on your system is essential. This guide will show you how to install Git on Windows and Mac.

Step 1: Download Git

• Visit the official Git download page.
• Select your operating system (Windows or macOS) and download the installer.

Step 2: Install Git on Windows

1. Run the downloaded installer.
2. Follow the setup instructions and choose the default options.
3. Ensure you select "Use Git from the Windows Command Prompt" during installation.
4. Click "Install" and wait for the process to complete.

Step 3: Install Git on Mac

You can install Git on Mac using Homebrew:

brew install git

Or you can use the official Git installer from the Git website.

Step 4: Verify Installation

To confirm Git is installed, open a terminal (Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Terminal on Mac) and run:

git --version

You should see output similar to:

git version 2.x.x

Step 5: Configure Git

Set up your Git username and email:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"

Check your configuration with:

git config --list

Step 6: Create a Git Repository

1. Open a terminal and navigate to your project folder.
2. Initialize a Git repository:

git init

To check the repository status:

git status

Step 7: Basic Git Commands

• Stage files: git add filename
• Commit changes: git commit -m "Initial commit"
• View commit history: git log
• Check repository status: git status
• Clone a repository: git clone repository_url
• Push changes: git push origin main

Step 8: Connect Git with GitHub

1. Create a GitHub account at GitHub.
2. Generate an SSH key:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "[email protected]"

Add the SSH key to your GitHub account and test the connection:

ssh -T [email protected]

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully installed and configured Git on Windows and Mac. Now you can manage your code, collaborate with teams, and contribute to open-source projects. For more details, check out the official Git documentation.