Git and GitHub Terms Glossary

This is the beginning of a glossary I’m building with easier explanations about Git and GitHub terms. I will update it and make it look nicer soon 😊

• security update: the process of applying security fixes to software or a system to protect it from vulnerabilities or potential threats.

• blob: an object stored in the Git repository that represents a file.

• branch: a branching off from the original repository where changes and tests can be made without affecting the main code.

• bug: an error in the code that causes unexpected behavior in the system.

• centralized: referring to a version control system where there is a single centralized copy of the source code, and all changes are sent to that single copy to be integrated, unlike the decentralized collaboration offered by Git.

• code check-in: adding or uploading changes to the central version control repository. It is the inverse operation of “check-out”.

• code check-out: downloading or getting a copy of existing code from a repository to work on locally. This can include switching to a specific branch or checking out a specific version of the code.

• cherry-pick: applying one or more changes from a specific commit to another branch.

• class: a template for creating objects (instances) that have specific attributes and behaviors, sharing the same structure and data.

• CLI: Command Line Interface.

• clone: creating an exact copy of a Git repository on your local machine, so you can work on it and send your changes back to the original repository.

• open-source: referring to software whose source code is freely available to be modified and shared by anyone, allowing collaboration and maintenance.

• stable code: referring to code that has been tested and bug-fixed, and is considered safe and reliable for use in production.

• source code: the set of files that contains instructions written in a programming language that form a software or application.

• decentralized collaboration: referring to the process of working on a project with multiple developers, where each developer has a complete copy of the repository and can make commits and create branches without relying on a single central source of control.

• project collaboration: referring to the practice of working together with other developers on projects.

• collaborator: a person with permission to contribute to a repository.

• command Line Interface (CLI): a command-line interface to interact with Git.

• commit: saving and recording a new version of a file or set of files in the repository, usually with a message describing the changes made.

• committing: the act of recording changes made to a file or set of files in a repository.

• project community: a group of developers, contributors, and other interested individuals who work together to improve and expand an open-source or private project.

• conflict: a situation where two different changes attempt to modify the same line of a file.

• merge conflicts: situations where two or more branches contain conflicting changes in the same file or line, preventing the merging of changes into a single branch.

• code version control: the technique of managing changes to the source code of a project, allowing previous versions to be recovered and collaborators to work together with the integration of changes.

• credits: recognition of individuals or organizations that have contributed to a project, usually listed in a credits file or in the project’s README.

• DAG (Directed Acyclic Graph): a version control graph that represents the relationships between commits.

• deployment: the process of publishing an application into production.

• diff: visualization of the differences between commits or branches.

• feature branch: a branch used for the development of a new feature.

• fork: the action of creating a copy of an existing repository on GitHub, so that it can be worked on independently without affecting the original repository.

• source code management: the process of tracking and managing changes made to the source code

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