Git Basics

The project lives in git. This page is the working knowledge you need to build from the repo, track your own changes, and contribute back.

The essential commands

Command	Purpose
git clone <url>	Get the repository
git status	What changed
git log --oneline	History
git checkout -b <branch>	New branch
git add <files>	Stage changes
git commit -m "message"	Commit
git push -u origin <branch>	Publish

The contribution flow

1. Fork or branch from main.
2. Make the change; keep it small and focused.
3. Run the checks (see Contributing for the list).
4. Commit with a clear message; the project’s commit style is documented in the repository’s COMMIT.md.
5. Open a pull request describing what and why.

Branching style

The project keeps main always green: CI runs on every push (see CI/CD). Work in branches, run the checks locally, then merge. A branch that breaks the build on its own is fine; a branch that breaks main is not.

The two golden rules

1. Commit often, commit small: a commit that does one thing is reviewable; a commit that does ten is not.
2. Never rewrite pushed history on a shared branch: force-pushing over other people’s work is how repositories get damaged.

Related pages

• Contributing for the project rules
• Software Build Process for the build
• CI/CD for the checks