Git Glossary

From commit to clone to pull request, your passport to the collaborative world of Git workflows.

code of conduct

A document outlining expected behavior and guidelines for contributors in a Git repository, promoting a positive community.

code owner

A designated person or team responsible for reviewing and approving changes to specific files or directories in a Git repository.

collaborator

A user with read and write access to a Git repository, able to contribute code and participate in project discussions.

commit ID

A unique identifier (SHA-1 hash) assigned to each commit in Git, used to reference specific points in a repository's history.

commit author

The person who originally created a commit in Git, distinct from the committer who may have applied the changes on behalf of the author.

commit graph

A visual representation of the commit history in a Git repository, showing the relationships between different branches and merges.

commit graph concept, representations and usage

The underlying structure and visual representations of Git's commit history, used for understanding project evolution.

commit message

A descriptive text associated with a Git commit, explaining the purpose and details of the changes made in that commit.

commit object

A Git object type containing metadata about a commit, including the author, committer, date, and a pointer to the tree object.

commit-graph file

A file used by Git to store commit graph information, optimizing performance for operations that traverse the commit history.

commit-ish (also committish)

A term referring to any Git object that can be resolved to a commit, including commit IDs, branch names, and tags.

compare branch

A Git feature allowing users to view differences between two branches, often used before merging to review changes.

contribution graph

A visual representation of a user's Git activity over time, showing the frequency and distribution of their contributions to repositories.

contribution guidelines

A document in a Git repository outlining best practices, coding standards, and procedures for contributors to follow when submitting changes.

contributions

The collective changes, commits, issues, and pull requests made by a user to Git repositories, showcasing their involvement in projects.

contributor

Any person who has made contributions to a Git repository, whether through code, documentation, or other forms of project support.

contributors graph

A visual representation of all contributors to a Git repository, showing their relative contributions over time and by type.

core Git

The fundamental set of Git commands and functionality, excluding third-party extensions or hosting platform-specific features.

coupon

A promotional code offering discounts or credits for Git hosting services, often used to attract new users or upgrade existing accounts.

cron

A time-based job scheduler used in Git hosting platforms to automate tasks such as backups, notifications, or periodic code checks.

dangling object

A Git object not reachable from any reference (branch, tag, etc.), often created during rebasing or other history-altering operations.

dashboard

A central interface in Git platforms providing an overview of a user's repositories, activities, and notifications.

default branch

The primary branch in a Git repository, typically named "main" or "master," serving as the base for new branches and deployments.

dependency graph

A visual representation of a project's dependencies, showing relationships between different components or external libraries.

dependents graph

A visualization of other projects or repositories that depend on a given Git repository, useful for understanding its impact.

deploy key

An SSH key granting read-only access to a specific Git repository, commonly used for automated deployments or CI/CD processes.

dereference

The process of resolving a Git reference (like a branch or tag) to its corresponding commit object or SHA-1 hash.

detached HEAD

A state in Git where the HEAD pointer references a specific commit rather than a branch, often used for temporary work.

diagnostics

Tools and features in Git used to identify and troubleshoot issues with repositories, commits, or configuration settings.

directory

A folder within a Git repository containing files and potentially other subdirectories, organized hierarchically.

dirty

A term describing a Git working directory that contains uncommitted changes, indicating modifications that haven't been saved to the repository.

email notifications

Alerts sent via email by Git platforms to inform users about repository activities, mentions, or updates.

enterprise account

A high-tier account type offered by Git hosting services, providing advanced features and support for large organizations.

evil merge

A problematic merge in Git where conflicts are resolved incorrectly, potentially introducing subtle bugs or inconsistencies.

fast-forward

A type of Git merge where the target branch's pointer is simply moved to the latest commit of the source branch, without creating a new commit.

feature branch

A temporary branch in Git created to develop a specific feature or fix, typically merged back into the main branch upon completion.

fenced code block

A markdown syntax used in Git documentation and comments to display formatted code snippets with syntax highlighting.

file system

The underlying structure used by Git to store repository data, including objects, refs, and configuration files.

following (users)

A feature in Git platforms allowing users to receive updates and notifications about other users' activities.

gitfile

A file containing a Git repository's object database, used in certain Git operations.

gitignore

A text file specifying intentionally untracked files that Git should ignore, customizable for different project types.

graft

A technique in Git to join two unrelated commit histories, typically used for repository repair or history modification.

hash

A unique identifier (SHA-1) for Git objects, used to ensure data integrity and create content-addressable storage.

head branch

The default branch that is checked out when a repository is cloned, typically 'main' or 'master'.

head ref

A reference to the tip of a branch, representing the most recent commit in that branch's history.

high-availability

A characteristic of Git hosting systems designed to ensure continuous operation and minimal downtime.

hook

A script that Git executes before or after events such as commit, push, and receive, used for automating or controlling Git processes.

hostname

The unique name assigned to a device on a network, used for identification and communication purposes.

identicon

A visual representation of a hash value, often used as a default avatar in Git platforms.

identity provider

A service that creates, maintains, and manages identity information for users, often integrated with Git platforms.