GitTroubleshooting.md

When the going gits rough

Problem: this terminal thing is weird

Here is a great tutorial to introduce you to some basic commands - https://github.com/codeforamerica/howto/blob/master/Shell.md

Problem: I need more help understanding git

Here are a few good resources:

• Think like a git
• git cheatsheet
• Lynda.com tutorials - Free for UW-Students! Use them!

Problem: nothing happens, ever

If your prompt looks like this:

>

You probably entered a command that required a closing quote but was ommitted. To get out of this situation, simply hit CTRL-C.

Problem: git complains when I push

If you get a long paragraph of text every time you push, simply enter one of the two commands git recommends to make the warning go away.

Problem: Error that says this is not a valid git repository

Make sure you have navigated (cd /path/to/your/repository) to the correct folder

Problem: I git pulled and am stuck in this screen saying something about merging

Simply type :wq to be on your way.

Problem: git cannot be found

You need to install git.

Problem: I really don't understand why we are using git

git is a very popular piece of open source software for managing code versioning. It runs on any operating system, and is the defacto standard for source control management. If you are working with code, or any plaintext document, it is a great way to manage revisions to your code, backup your edits, and collaborate with others. Because it is free and open source, there are myriad tools for working with git, and you do not have to worry about a company unilaterally discontinuing it.

Also, if you ever need to work with a software development team or programmers, it is extremely valuable to be able to be able to collaborate with them in the environment in which they work. Not to mention it is a very marketable skill.

Other problems

Copy and paste the error into Google and find the highest rated link to StackOverflow. While this won't directly solve your problem, it will give you a good idea as to what is going wrong, and may even provide you with a solution.