Best Practices

Commit Messages

Write clear, descriptive commit messages:

type(scope): description

[optional body]

[optional footer]

Types

• feat: New feature
• fix: Bug fix
• docs: Documentation
• style: Code style changes
• refactor: Code refactoring
• test: Adding tests
• chore: Maintenance

Examples

feat(auth): add user login functionality

fix(ui): resolve button alignment issue

docs(readme): update installation instructions

Branching Strategy

Git Flow

• main: Production-ready code
• develop: Latest development changes
• feature/*: New features
• release/*: Release preparation
• hotfix/*: Critical fixes

GitHub Flow

• main: Production-ready code
• feature-branch: All development

Pull Requests

• Create descriptive PR titles
• Add detailed descriptions
• Reference issues
• Request reviews from appropriate team members
• Keep PRs small and focused

Code Reviews

• Review code for bugs and style
• Suggest improvements
• Approve when ready
• Use constructive feedback

Repository Organization

• Use descriptive repository names
• Maintain clear directory structure
• Keep README updated
• Use labels and milestones for issues

Security

• Never commit sensitive data
• Use .gitignore properly
• Be careful with force pushes
• Use SSH keys instead of passwords

Performance

• Avoid large binary files
• Use Git LFS for large assets
• Clean up merged branches
• Use shallow clones when possible

Collaboration

• Communicate with team
• Use issues for tracking work
• Keep branches up to date
• Rebase instead of merge when appropriate

Backup and Recovery

• Push regularly to remote
• Use multiple remotes for backup
• Keep local backups of important repositories
• Learn to use reflog for recovery

Tools and Integrations

• Use Git hooks for automation
• Integrate with CI/CD pipelines
• Use GitHub/GitLab features
• Consider Git GUI tools for complex operations

Learning Resources

• Official Git documentation
• Interactive tutorials
• Books like "Pro Git"
• Practice on personal projects
• Join Git communities

Remember: The best practices evolve with your team's needs. Start simple and adapt as you grow.