What is Git?

Git is a tool that saves snapshots of your project.

You use it when you have a folder of files (code, text, anything).
You want to save the state of that folder at different times.
Git does that. Each save is called a commit.

Why use it?

You can go back to an older version if something breaks.
You can try an idea in a branch and keep the main folder safe.
You can share the same project with others and combine everyone’s changes.

What you do most of the time:

Change some files.
Tell Git which changes to include (that’s add).
Save a snapshot with a short message (commit).
Send your saves to a place on the internet or get others’ saves (push and pull).

That’s the main loop. The rest of this site explains each step in simple words.

Why does Git feel confusing?
Git has a lot of concepts and inconsistent commands. The official docs are written for experts. So it’s normal to find it hard. We wrote Why Git feels hard to explain that honestly — and we owe a big thank you to Steve Bennett’s “10 things I hate about Git” for putting these problems into words. This site exists to give you a clear, simple reference despite that.

Alternatives to Git.
Git is not the only good option. Fossil and Mercurial are sane alternatives with added benefits: Fossil bundles version control with a built-in wiki and tickets in one tool; Mercurial offers clearer, more consistent commands and an easier learning curve. We compare them to Git in the docs so you can choose what fits:

Git vs Fossil — when an all-in-one, single-file tool helps
Git vs Mercurial — when you want simpler, predictable commands

If you’re new to version control or find Git’s design frustrating, those pages are a good place to look. This site still focuses on Git because it’s what most people encounter first.

Next: Getting started — install Git and make your first save.