Professional Git

Chapter 3The Git Promotion Model

WHAT'S IN THIS CHAPTER?

• The different levels of Git
• The workflow for moving content between the levels (the Git promotion model)
• Why Git has the staging area and how it is used
• A summary of the commands that you use to move content between the levels

Whenever you are learning a new system or process, it's convenient to think about it in terms of something you already know or have some familiarity with. In this chapter, you will take a tour of the various levels that make up a Git system. You will also relate them to a common model that almost everyone who works in an IT-related field will recognize. This model also provides a convenient way of thinking about how you get content through the levels, and introduces you to the basic Git commands for a workflow.

In addition, I'll focus in on one level that is not typically found in other source management systems, but which plays a key role when interacting with Git and some of its advanced functionality. Understanding this level early on is a prerequisite to really understanding any Git workflow.

THE LEVELS OF GIT

So far, I have introduced Git and discussed its history, good points, and not-so-good points. I've also presented some concepts to help you understand its internal functioning. It's now time to look at the different levels that users encounter when working with Git. These levels represent the stages that content moves through, as it makes it way from the local development directory ...