Whether you’re a programmer or data scientist, mastering Git is essential for modern collaborative work. It’s not so difficult, just start brick by brick and as any other programming language, you will end up building great things with it!
1. Pro Git Book (Free)
Link: https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2
The official Git book written by Scott Chacon and Ben Straub. Anybody who really struggled once in their life with Git must know about this. It’s comprehensive, well-organized, and completely free. Available in multiple languages and formats (web, PDF, ePub).
Best for: All levels - from beginners to advanced users
Why it’s great: Official documentation, regularly updated, and covers everything from basics to Git internals.
2. Atlassian Git Tutorials
Link: https://www.atlassian.com/git/tutorials Link2: https://www.coursera.org/learn/version-control-with-git (NOTE: For a price you also can get a certification!)
Comprehensive tutorials covering Git basics, collaboration workflows, and advanced tips. Created by the team behind Bitbucket.
Best for: Intermediate users wanting to understand workflows
Why it’s great: Clear explanations with visual diagrams, covers both Git basics and team collaboration strategies.
3. Learn Git Branching (Interactive)
Link: https://learngitbranching.js.org/
An interactive, visual game-like tutorial that helps you understand Git branching and merging through challenges. (Personally I only tried the beginning but it seems super interactive!)
Best for: Visual learners and those struggling with branching concepts
Why it’s great: Gamified learning experience, visual representation of Git operations, progressive difficulty.
Bonus Resources (if you are comfortable with VScode, R or Python, the tools or tutorials below will make your life a bit easier)
For Visual Studio Code Users
- GitLens Extension: Supercharges Git in VS Code with blame annotations, commit searching, and more
- Git Graph Extension: Visualize your repository’s commit history
For R Users
- Happy Git with R: https://happygitwithr.com/ - Specifically for R users integrating Git with RStudio
For Python Users
- Real Python Git Tutorial: https://realpython.com/python-git-github-intro/ - Git for Python developers
Tips for Learning Git
Start with basics: Don’t try to learn everything at once. Master
commit,push,pull, andbranchfirst.Make mistakes in safe environments! The best way to learn Git is to break things and fix them in test repositories!
Enjoy!