version-control

name	version-control
description	Use when: setting up version control or following Git best practices in projects. Provides a quick checklist for Git setup and workflows.

Version Control Skill

This skill guides you through setting up Git and following best practices for version control in the SiteCounter project.

Quick Checklist

1. Initialize Repository

   • Run git init in the project root
   • Add remote origin if using GitHub: git remote add origin <repository-url>

2. Configure .gitignore

   • Create a .gitignore file in the root
   • Include common PHP/CodeIgniter ignores: vendor/, writable/logs/, .env, etc.

3. Branching Strategy

   • Use main as the default branch
   • Create feature branches for new work: git checkout -b feature/user-auth
   • Use release branches for preparing versions: git checkout -b release/v1.0

4. Committing Changes

   • Stage relevant files: git add <files> or git add . for all
   • Write clear, descriptive commit messages following conventional commits
   • Commit logical units of work: git commit -m "feat: implement user login"

5. Pushing and Pulling

   • Push local branches to remote: git push origin feature/branch
   • Pull latest changes: git pull origin main
   • Fetch remote changes without merging: git fetch origin

6. Handling Conflicts

   • Identify conflicting files during merge/pull
   • Edit files to resolve conflicts, keeping desired changes
   • Stage resolved files: git add <resolved-file>
   • Complete the merge: git commit

7. Best Practices

   • Avoid committing sensitive data (passwords, keys)
   • Use pull requests for code reviews and collaboration
   • Keep commit history clean; use interactive rebase for local cleanup
   • Tag releases: git tag -a v1.0.0 -m "Release v1.0.0"

This checklist promotes effective Git usage for collaborative development.