Pro Git (Expert's Voice in Software Development)

Disclaimer: When I first read this book (almost a year ago), I was a complete beginner with Git. I now use Git on a daily basis and couldn't be a happier programmer.You're probably asking yourself, "why is this guy writing a review on this book a year after he read it?". Well, I'm writing this review now because I still think about this book daily (and have a copy sitting on the front of my bookshelf). This is one of the best tech books (in general) that I've ever read.When first reading this book, I had little to no experience with Git. I had heard about it numerous times from friends and colleagues, but never used it in a real sense. What originally motivated me to start learning about it was Github (probably the best website that was ever created for programmers).After picking up a copy of Chacon's book, and transitioning myself from SVN -> Git, I found myself 'at home' with the Git ideals and methods used to handle version control. After a short period of time, using Git just became second nature, something that I had never experienced in my programming life.As time has progressed and I've used Git more and more, I've become far more knowledgeable about version control in general, and actually have a far better understanding of source control and practices--something that I was never able to really have 'click' while using SVN or CVS.Almost a year after my initial reading of 'Pro Git', I now write all software using Git, and couldn't live without it.In short, buy this book and give Git a chance, you won't regret it. It is not only a life-changing version control system, but 'Pro Git' is an excellent resource to getting started simply, and helps you to really grasp what Git is all about, and why you need to start using it.

This material is available online, and so the order-one question is whether anyone should buy a paper copy.I think paper beats screen (to use a RPS sort of phrase), so I purchased a paper copy. I am glad I did. Within an hour, I had come to understand things about git that had escaped me, despite studying a great many websites and manpages. My copy is gradually accumulating marks in the margin, postit notes for important pages, and so forth. Thus, its value (to me, anyway) grows. As is always the case with book, the reader can *find* things in it, because the mind remembers things like "halfway down the left-hand page, five or seven or nine pages past the chapter start". Bookmarks in HTML or PDF are a laughable substitute for this.I also bought the book to support the author, since he has been so kind as to put the material online for free, and I'd like to buy him a coffee, from the royalty from my purchase.You'll notice that I've not yet *reviewed* this book. Is it any good? Does he know what he's talking about? Can he explain things? Does he cover the right material, in the right order? Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes. The book is very nice, gem-like in spots. I'd recommend it to anyone. If git were simpler, or less powerful, or if there were a lot of good existing books, there would be no need for this book. Git is far up there on the importance-and-complexity axis, but down near the origin on the explanation-in-books axis. This book made a big change in the graph.

I am a web developer working remotely. I am used to work with Subversion, but wanted to learn Git. The guides and tutorials I found in the web were either too simple or too complex. Until I found the online version of "Pro Git". After being delighted with the first two chapters, and tired of reading on screen, I decided to buy the book. And I am very happy with it!This book provided the information I wanted, in a perfect rythm - Scott does not waste our time - he provides useful information on every page, and his explanations are extremely well written. Thanks a lot!Also, the topics and their order are perfect. In chapter 1 and 2, only 45 pages, you learn to use Git, as you may already use Subversion. Chapter 3 is brilliant - it is where Scott explains Git branching - how it works and how you use it. It is also where the power of Git is revealed - and why you should change your version control system to it, if you can.All the "mistery" terms around Git, like "origin", "master", "push", "pull", "remote", "rebase" are not misterious anymore. You are able to understand their meaning, and not only how to use the commands, but also why, and all the "logic" involved.Git helps us to do complex things in simple ways - this complexity requires some learning. It is not like software that you can use reading "man" page or a simple tutorial. The "Pro Git" book is a very good resource to get up and running with Git, knowing and understanding very well what you are doing.I thank the author and recommend this book.

I switched jobs in the last year and the new team is using git. Even though the basic commands are simple, I find it easy to get in trouble and picked up this book to get to a higher level of proficiency.The book is aimed at beginners, it starts with overview of version control systems, then goes over basic commands, then talks about the branching model, then has a chapter about setting up git server and configuring your custom environments. Chapter 5 talks about distributed work-flows, next chapter about advanced git commands. The book ends with a discussion of Git internals.I liked the book, the explanations were simple, it included graphical explanations and examples. I learned about tools I have not been using - such as git mergetool. It also has a good explanation of how to use "blame" which I never used before, and how to use "bisect" to find which submission introduced a problem.Ali Julia review