Chapter 00Free
Free Git first contact: file to history
Learn what Git is, read state, change one file, inspect the diff, stage with intent, commit, and prove history.
11 focused lessonsTrue zero to Git professional
Version Control Skills with Git
Learn Git as a state system, not a memorized command list.
Build reliable Git judgment from working tree to shared history: inspect state, stage and commit intentionally, branch, merge, recover, and collaborate safely.
No credit card for the free chapter. Preview what the chapter covers.
By the end
Observable skills you will practice.
- Explain working tree, index, HEAD, commits, branch names, remotes, and shared history
- Create small commits from deliberate staged changes
- Read status, diff, staged diff, log, show, and remote evidence before acting
- Branch, merge, resolve conflicts, undo ordinary mistakes, and collaborate safely
- Recognize when an incident needs an advanced recovery procedure or escalation
Syllabus
24 chapters from the published course structure.
The focused path contains 65 required lessons. The advanced library remains available when your role needs more depth.
Focused path chapters14 chapters contain the required 65-lesson path.
Chapter 01Full course
Repository anatomy and object model
Inspect the working tree, `.git`, HEAD, refs, index entries, object types, commit content, local config, and bare checkout shape.
3 focused lessons + 9 advanced lessonsChapter 02Full course
Status and diff literacy
Read mixed repository state with long, short, and porcelain status, then separate unstaged diffs, staged diffs, word diffs, stat summaries, and new-file review.
3 focused lessons + 8 advanced lessonsChapter 03Full course
Staging craft and commit scope
Stage deliberately with pathspecs, dry runs, update and all modes, patch staging, unstaging, restore, dry-run commit checks, scoped messages, and a commit-scope gate.
3 focused lessons + 8 advanced lessonsChapter 04Full course
Branches and safe context switching
Read branch names as refs, create branches, switch safely, use previous-branch movement, commit on feature branches, inspect branch graphs, compare merged and unmerged branches, understand detached HEAD, and clean up safely.
5 focused lessons + 6 advanced lessonsChapter 05Full course
Reading history like evidence
Read full and compact logs, decorated graphs, show output, stat summaries, parent diffs, caret and tilde revision names, two-dot and three-dot ranges, path-limited history, and a history evidence gate.
3 focused lessons + 9 advanced lessonsChapter 06Full course
Merge models and integration decisions
Use clean state checks, merge-base evidence, fast-forward-only merges, ff-only refusals, true merge commits, no-ff policy, no-commit inspection, abort, stat output, parent proof, and a merge-model gate.
4 focused lessons + 8 advanced lessonsChapter 07Full course
Conflict resolution from evidence
Create a stopped merge, read `UU` status, inspect conflict markers, index stages, base, ours, and theirs, resolve with ours, theirs, or a combined file, continue or abort, and prove the final merge parents.
6 focused lessons + 7 advanced lessonsChapter 08Full course
Safe undo with restore, reset, revert, and stash
Choose undo tools from state evidence: discard working-tree edits, unstage paths, restore one old file, reset private local history, avoid hard reset panic, revert shared-style mistakes, stash interrupted work, inspect stash entries, and recover on a branch.
5 focused lessons + 9 advanced lessonsChapter 09Full course
Cleanup and interrupted-work hygiene
Classify cleanup state, preview untracked deletion, preserve ignored boundaries, debug ignore rules, stage tracked deletion, stop tracking local files, rename tracked paths, review the cleanup diff, commit it, and prove history.
6 focused lessons + 6 advanced lessonsChapter 10Full course
Remote collaboration safety
Read remotes as contracts, inspect remote-tracking refs, fetch before deciding, read FETCH_HEAD, compare incoming commits, use fast-forward-only pull, verify upstreams, publish branches with `-u`, respect push rejections, and use force-with-lease for intentional rewrites.
9 focused lessons + 5 advanced lessonsChapter 11Full course
Review-ready collaboration flow
Prepare a human-friendly review branch: prove clean state, find the merge base, read commit series, measure diff scope, inspect patches, export a patch series, compare review rounds, generate request text, commit feedback, respect protected main, and complete a review handoff gate.
5 focused lessons + 7 advanced lessonsChapter 12Full course
Reflog and lost-work recovery
Recover from destructive local mistakes: read the recovery brief, inspect reflog movement, prove the damaged branch tip, create a recovery branch from HEAD@{1}, find unreachable detached work with fsck, inspect it, cherry-pick it onto the recovered branch, verify clean state, and complete a recovery packet.
1 focused lesson + 11 advanced lessonsChapter 13Full course
Incident gauntlet and final capstone
Complete a full Git incident: triage dirty state, stash safely, fetch, merge, resolve conflict, recover lost work, repair a submodule, satisfy hook policy, verify health, and publish with force-with-lease.
1 focused lesson + 16 advanced lessonsExplore 10 advanced library chapters
These chapters provide optional drills and reference depth. They are not required to complete the focused path.
Library 13Full course
Pull requests and review flow
Move a pull request through a professional lifecycle: read base and head state, fetch the PR ref locally, inspect commits and files, interpret review status, read required checks, commit feedback, sync with the base branch, compare review rounds, squash merge, clean up the branch, and prove final history.
10 advanced lessonsLibrary 14Full course
Rebase for local cleanup
Clean private feature history safely: prove branch ownership, fetch the new base, replay commits onto `origin/main`, recover from stopped rebase conflicts, inspect and edit the interactive todo, reword weak messages, create fixup commits, autosquash them, compare old and new patch series with range-diff, and prove final history.
12 advanced lessonsLibrary 15Full course
Tags and release markers
Treat releases as evidence: read tag policy, list and inspect tags, prove tag targets, create lightweight scratch tags and annotated release tags, tag a specific commit, sort versions, push one tag safely, delete scratch tags locally and remotely, and audit final refs.
12 advanced lessonsLibrary 16Full course
Ignore, attributes, and line endings
Keep repository hygiene explicit: read shared ignore policy, trace root and nested ignore rules, prove tracked-file limits, diagnose global excludes, override ignored adds only with evidence, inspect attributes, verify line-ending policy, and prove binary handling.
12 advanced lessonsLibrary 17Full course
Blame, pickaxe, and investigation
Investigate incidents from evidence: search current code, read line ownership, ignore whitespace noise, follow renames, use pickaxe string and regex search, inspect suspect patches, find deleted-path evidence, expand changeset context, trace function history, and complete a root-cause packet.
13 advanced lessonsLibrary 18Full course
Bisect and regression isolation
Find first-bad commits from reproducible evidence: read the regression brief, scope history, mark good and bad endpoints, test each checkout, skip untestable commits, preserve the bisect log, reset safely, automate with bisect run, and complete a regression packet.
13 advanced lessonsLibrary 20Full course
Worktrees and parallel work
Use linked worktrees for parallel tasks: read the incident, list existing worktrees, add a hotfix branch in a separate path, verify it, respect branch checkout guards, read porcelain output, create and lock a detached sandbox, remove clean worktrees, dry-run prune stale metadata, prune safely, and complete a final worktree packet.
12 advanced lessonsLibrary 21Full course
Submodules and nested history
Read `.gitmodules`, inspect uninitialized submodules, initialize and update recursively, inspect nested repository state, move a submodule to a new commit, review submodule commit ranges, stage the gitlink pointer, commit the parent update, and prove clean state.
12 advanced lessonsLibrary 22Full course
Hooks, aliases, and workflow automation
Audit config origins, create a safe local alias, prove alias expansion, configure a commit template, point Git at visible hook scripts, make hooks executable, observe pre-commit and commit-msg refusals, fix the cause, commit correctly, and prove clean status.
10 advanced lessonsLibrary 23Full course
Maintenance, integrity, and large repo hygiene
Measure loose objects and packs, check object connectivity, inspect unreachable objects, preview prune safely, run gc and maintenance tasks, measure again, choose shallow or partial clone boundaries, set shared LFS policy, and prove clean status.
11 advanced lessonsFull access
Choose access for Version Control Skills with Git
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Questions
Know what to expect before you start.
What can I try for free?
Free Git first contact: file to history is free and contains 11 lessons. No credit card is requested before the free workspace opens.
What experience do I need?
No Git experience is required. Basic familiarity with files and folders is helpful.
What does the focused path include?
65 required lessons, with 11 free and 54 included in paid access.
Is there material beyond the focused path?
Yes. The course also includes 226 advanced practice and reference resources. They are available when you need more depth, but they do not lengthen the required path.
Which paid options are available?
Git Founder Pass: CA$59 one-time. Academy Founder Annual: CA$139 per year. Founder Vault: CA$279 one-time.
How is paid access billed?
Git Founder Pass: No recurring charge. Access remains available unless the purchase is refunded or reversed. Academy Founder Annual: Access continues while the annual subscription remains active. Founder Vault: No recurring charge. Coverage includes courses launched during the first 24 months.
How long does it take?
The published estimate is 8 to 12 active hours for the Core Path. Your pace will depend on how much you repeat the practice.
Do I need to install anything?
No installation is required to start the guided free chapter. Later lessons explain the real tools, files, and operating boundaries relevant to the skill.
What technology is covered?
The syllabus and these stated outcomes are the source of truth: Explain working tree, index, HEAD, commits, branch names, remotes, and shared history; Create small commits from deliberate staged changes; Read status, diff, staged diff, log, show, and remote evidence before acting; Branch, merge, resolve conflicts, undo ordinary mistakes, and collaborate safely; Recognize when an incident needs an advanced recovery procedure or escalation.
Which browsers are supported?
Use a current browser with JavaScript enabled. The free chapter is the quickest compatibility check for your device.
Does the workspace work on mobile?
The reading pages reflow for small screens. Command-heavy practice is more comfortable with a physical keyboard and a larger display.
What happens when I make a mistake?
The practice state is isolated from production systems. Read the resulting evidence, revise the action, and try again.
How do I restore access?
Use the receipt email on the restore-access page. The sign-in link verifies the account before paid entitlements are loaded.