Introduction
When we develop an application locally, we usually want to store the source code in a remote repository so that it can be shared, versioned, and backed up. One common platform used for this purpose is Azure DevOps.
This article explains the basic Git commands used to initialize a repository, track files, commit changes, and push the code to Azure DevOps.
1. Initialize a Git Repository
git init
This command initializes a new Git repository in the current project folder.
Example:
If you created a new project folder for your application, run this command inside that folder to enable Git version control.
2. Check Repository Status
git status
This command shows the current state of the repository.
It displays:
This helps developers understand what changes are ready to be committed.
3. Add Files to the Staging Area
git add .
This command adds all files in the project folder to the staging area.
The staging area is like a preparation step before committing changes.
Other examples:
Add a specific file:
git add filename.cs
Add all files:
git add .
4. Commit the Changes
git commit -m "Initial commit"
A commit saves a snapshot of the staged changes into the Git repository.
-m is used to add a commit message explaining the changes.
Example message:
5. Add a Remote Repository
git remote add origin https://dev.azure.com/dtools/_git/DTData
This command connects the local repository to a remote repository hosted in Azure DevOps.
Explanation:
After this step, Git knows where to push the code.
6. Push Code to the Remote Repository
git push -u origin main
This command uploads the committed code to the remote repository.
Explanation:
push → Upload local commits
origin → Remote repository
main → Branch name
-u → Sets the upstream branch so future pushes can be done with git push
After this step, your project will appear in the Azure DevOps repository.
7. Clone an Existing Repository
git clone https://[email protected]/dtools/DTData/_git/DTData
This command downloads an existing repository from Azure DevOps to your local machine.
After cloning, a folder named DTData will be created.
8. Navigate to the Project Folder
cd DTData
This command moves into the cloned project directory.
All further Git operations should be executed inside this folder.
9. Reinitializing and Connecting the Repository
Sometimes developers may run the following commands again when configuring Git:
git init
git remote add origin https://[email protected]/dtools/DTData/_git/DTData
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
git push -u origin main
This sequence:
Summary
The typical workflow for pushing code to Azure DevOps using Git is:
Basic flow:
git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
git remote add origin <repository-url>
git push -u origin main
This workflow helps developers maintain version control, collaboration, and backup of source code.