Git & GitHub
Learn version control from absolute zero: commits, branches, merging, undoing mistakes safely, GitHub, pull requests, and the collaboration workflow every software team on earth uses daily.
What you'll learn
Git & GitHub is organized into 8 focused modules. By the end you'll be comfortable with:
- Why Git Exists
- Your First Repository
- Undoing Things Safely
- Branches & Merging
- GitHub & Remotes
- Collaborating with Others
- The Git Toolbelt
- Putting It All Together
Course curriculum
33 lessons across 8 modules. Lessons marked Free preview are readable without an account.
Module 1. Why Git Exists
The problem version control solves, what Git actually is, Git vs GitHub, and getting set up.
- 6mWhy Version Control ExistsFree preview
final_v2_REALLY_final.py — the universal problem every programmer hits, and the tool category that solves it.
- 6mWhat is Git?Free preview
The version control system that won — how it thinks, and the three words you'll use forever: repository, commit, local.
- 6mGit vs GitHubFree preview
One is a tool, the other is a website — untangle the most common beginner confusion in a few minutes.
- 7mInstalling & Configuring Git
Install Git on your system and sign your future commits — two config commands you run once per computer.
Module 2. Your First Repository
Create a repository, understand the three states, stage and commit changes, read history, and ignore the right files.
- 7mCreating Your First Repository
git init turns any folder into a repository, and git status becomes the command you'll run more than any other.
- 7mThe Three States of a File
Untracked, modified, staged — learn to read git status like a dashboard and Git stops being mysterious.
- 8mStaging and Committing
Arrange the shot with git add, take the photo with git commit — the two-step rhythm at the heart of all Git.
- 7mWriting Good Commit Messages
"fix stuff" helps nobody. Learn the two habits — small commits, clear messages — that make history worth having.
- 8mReading History: log, diff, show
Your album has photos in it now — learn to browse them, compare them, and answer 'what changed?' precisely.
- 8mIgnoring Files: .gitignore
Secrets, build junk, and 500MB dependency folders don't belong in history — teach Git what to never track.
Module 3. Undoing Things Safely
Git's superpower is that mistakes are recoverable — discard, amend, reset, and revert with confidence.
- 7mDiscarding Changes: git restore
"I've made a mess and just want the file back how it was" — the gentlest undo, for changes you haven't committed.
- 7mFixing the Last Commit: --amend
Typo in the message? Forgot a file? Retake the last photo instead of living with it.
- 8mRewinding Commits: git reset
Take commits back off the timeline — keeping your work — and learn exactly where the danger zone begins.
- 8mUndoing Shared History: git revert
The undo that never rewrites history — plus the complete map of which undo tool fits which mistake.
Module 4. Branches & Merging
Work on ideas in parallel timelines, merge them back together, and resolve conflicts calmly.
- 7mWhat is a Branch?
Parallel timelines for your project — the concept that turns Git from a save-button into a superpower.
- 8mCreating and Switching Branches
git switch -c and friends — create timelines, hop between them, and watch your files transform on cue.
- 8mMerging Branches
Weave a finished feature back into main — fast-forwards, merge commits, and the one rule about where to stand.
- 9mResolving Merge Conflicts
The moment every beginner dreads, demystified: conflicts are just Git asking a fair question — and you know how to answer.
- 9mPractice: Branch Like You Mean It
No new ideas — run a full week of solo development: branches, an urgent hotfix, merges, and one honest conflict.
Module 5. GitHub & Remotes
Put your repository in the cloud: remotes, cloning, push, pull, and fetch.
- 7mGetting Started with GitHub
Create your account, meet the interface, and understand what a repo looks like when it lives online.
- 8mConnecting a Remote: origin & push -u
Introduce your local repo to its GitHub twin and send your history online for the first time.
- 7mCloning: Any Repo, Anywhere
One command downloads any repository with its full history — new laptop, teammate onboarding, or any open-source project on earth.
- 8mStaying in Sync: push, pull, fetch
The three sync verbs — including the pull-before-push habit that prevents the classic rejected-push moment.
- 8mPractice: Two Machines, One Repo
No new ideas — live a realistic laptop-and-desktop week: clone, drift, sync, one rejected push, zero lost work.
Module 6. Collaborating with Others
Pull requests, code review, forks, and the daily team workflow.
- 8mPull Requests
"Please look at my branch before it joins main" — the mechanism at the center of all professional collaboration.
- 7mCode Review: Giving & Receiving
The conversation inside the PR — how professionals critique code kindly and receive critique calmly.
- 8mForking: Contributing to Any Project
No push access? No problem. The fork → clone → branch → PR dance behind every open-source contribution.
- 8mThe Daily Team Workflow
Assemble every piece into the loop professional developers run many times a week — and keep branches from going stale.
Module 7. The Git Toolbelt
Stash, cherry-pick, tags & releases, and professional habits.
- 8mStashing Work in Progress
The drawer for half-done work — switch contexts instantly without committing a mess.
- 7mCherry-Pick: One Commit, Elsewhere
Copy exactly one commit from another branch — the surgical tool for 'I need just THAT fix, now'.
- 8mTags & Releases
Bookmark the commits that shipped — semantic versioning, annotated tags, and GitHub Releases.
- 8mProfessional Git Habits
The compact code of conduct: conventional commits, what never enters a repo, and the golden rules that keep teams sane.
Module 8. Putting It All Together
One realistic project lifecycle using everything in the course.
- 12mCapstone: Ship a Project with Git
One continuous story — from git init to a reviewed, tagged v1.0.0 release with an outside contributor — using every module.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the Git & GitHub course free?
- You can preview lessons for free with no account. Full access to this Pro course is included with a Kodion Pro subscription.
- Do I need prior programming experience?
- No. Git & GitHub starts from the fundamentals and assumes no prior coding experience.
- How long does Git & GitHub take to complete?
- It's 33 lessons across 8 modules, roughly 4 hours of hands-on learning. You can go entirely at your own pace.
- What will I learn?
- You'll work through Why Git Exists, Your First Repository, Undoing Things Safely, and more, building real, applied skills through interactive lessons and coding challenges.
- Can I get help if I'm stuck?
- Yes. Kodion's built-in AI tutor gives instant, context-aware hints and explanations right inside each lesson as you code.
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