Git Interview Questions and Answers for 5 years experience

1. What is Git?

   • Answer: Git is a distributed version control system (DVCS) designed to handle everything from small to very large projects with speed and efficiency. It tracks changes to files, allowing for collaboration and rollback to previous versions.

2. Explain the difference between Git and GitHub.

   • Answer: Git is a version control system; GitHub is a web-based hosting service for Git repositories. Git is the tool, GitHub is the platform.

3. What are the three main states of a Git file?

   • Answer: Modified, Staged, and Committed. Modified means the file has been changed but not yet tracked by Git. Staged means the changes are ready to be committed. Committed means the changes are permanently recorded in the Git repository.

4. What is the difference between `git add` and `git commit`?

   • Answer: `git add` stages changes from the working directory to the staging area. `git commit` saves the staged changes into the local repository.

5. What is the purpose of the `.gitignore` file?

   • Answer: The `.gitignore` file specifies files and directories that Git should ignore, preventing them from being tracked in the repository. This is useful for excluding build artifacts, temporary files, and sensitive information.

6. Explain the concept of a Git branch.

   • Answer: A branch is an independent line of development. It allows developers to work on new features or bug fixes without affecting the main codebase. Branches can be merged back into the main branch once the work is complete.

7. How do you create a new branch in Git?

   • Answer: `git checkout -b `

8. How do you switch between branches in Git?

   • Answer: `git checkout `

9. How do you merge a branch into another branch in Git?

   • Answer: Checkout the target branch then `git merge `

10. What is a merge conflict and how do you resolve it?

    • Answer: A merge conflict occurs when two branches have made changes to the same lines of the same file. Git will mark the conflict in the file, and you must manually edit the file to resolve the conflict before committing the merge.

11. What is `git rebase` and how is it different from `git merge`?

    • Answer: `git rebase` rewrites the commit history by applying your commits on top of the target branch. `git merge` creates a new merge commit. Rebase results in a cleaner history, but should be used cautiously, especially on shared branches.

12. What is a Git tag?

    • Answer: A tag is a pointer to a specific commit, often used to mark releases (e.g., v1.0.0).

13. How do you create a tag in Git?

    • Answer: `git tag ` (lightweight tag) or `git tag -a -m ""` (annotated tag)

14. What is `git stash`?

    • Answer: `git stash` temporarily saves your uncommitted changes, allowing you to switch branches or clean your working directory without losing your work. You can later reapply the stashed changes.

15. What is `git pull`?

    • Answer: `git pull` fetches changes from a remote repository and merges them into your current branch.

16. What is `git push`?

    • Answer: `git push` uploads your local commits to a remote repository.

17. What is a remote repository?

    • Answer: A remote repository is a version of your project that is hosted on a server, such as GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket.

18. How do you add a remote repository?

    • Answer: `git remote add `

19. How do you clone a Git repository?

    • Answer: `git clone `

20. What is the difference between `git fetch` and `git pull`?

    • Answer: `git fetch` downloads the changes from a remote repository without merging them into your local branches. `git pull` fetches and merges.

21. What is `HEAD` in Git?

    • Answer: `HEAD` is a symbolic reference to the currently checked-out commit.

22. What is `git reset`? Explain different options like `--hard`, `--soft`, `--mixed`.

    • Answer: `git reset` moves the branch pointer to a different commit. `--hard` discards all changes in the working directory and staging area. `--soft` only moves the branch pointer, leaving changes in the staging area. `--mixed` (default) moves the branch pointer and unstages changes.

23. What is `git revert`? How is it different from `git reset`?

    • Answer: `git revert` creates a new commit that undoes the changes introduced by a previous commit. `git reset` changes the branch pointer, rewriting history. `git revert` is safer when working collaboratively.

24. What is cherry-picking in Git?

    • Answer: Cherry-picking allows you to select individual commits from one branch and apply them to another.

25. How do you view the commit history in Git?

    • Answer: `git log`

26. Explain Git's object model.

    • Answer: Git stores data as a directed acyclic graph (DAG) of objects, primarily blobs (file content), trees (directory structures), and commits (snapshots of the project).

27. What are Git hooks?

    • Answer: Git hooks are scripts that run automatically before or after certain Git events (e.g., commit, push). They can be used to enforce coding standards, automate tasks, or perform other actions.

28. How do you resolve a merge conflict using a merge tool?

    • Answer: Most Git clients integrate with merge tools (e.g., Meld, Beyond Compare). The tool provides a visual interface for comparing and merging the conflicting changes.

29. What is a detached HEAD state?

    • Answer: A detached HEAD state occurs when you checkout a commit that is not part of any branch. Your changes are not associated with a branch until you create a new branch or commit to an existing one.

30. How do you handle large files in Git?

    • Answer: Use Git Large File Storage (LFS) to store large files outside the main repository, storing only pointers in the repository. Alternatives include using cloud storage and referencing files.

31. What are some best practices for using Git?

    • Answer: Write clear commit messages, use feature branches, regularly push your changes, review your code before committing, use pull requests for collaboration.

32. Explain the concept of a Git reflog.

    • Answer: The reflog keeps track of changes to your branch pointers and HEAD. It can be used to recover lost commits or undo actions.

33. How to find a specific commit in Git history?

    • Answer: Use `git log` with various options like searching by author, message, or date. Use `git rev-list` for more advanced searching.

34. What is a Git submodule?

    • Answer: A Git submodule allows you to include another Git repository as a subdirectory within your main repository.

35. How do you resolve a conflict when rebasing?

    • Answer: Similar to merge conflicts, you'll need to edit the files to resolve conflicts before continuing the rebase with `git rebase --continue`.

36. Explain the importance of using descriptive commit messages.

    • Answer: Descriptive commit messages provide context for changes, making it easier to understand the history of the project and facilitating debugging and collaboration.

37. What is the command to see the diff between the working directory and the staging area?

    • Answer: `git diff`

38. What is the command to see the diff between the staging area and the last commit?

    • Answer: `git diff --staged`

39. What is the command to see the diff between two commits?

    • Answer: `git diff `

40. How can you undo your last commit?

    • Answer: `git reset --soft HEAD^` (undoes the last commit but keeps changes staged) or `git reset HEAD^` (undoes the last commit and unstages changes).

41. How do you delete a branch in Git?

    • Answer: `git branch -d ` (for a merged branch) or `git branch -D ` (for a non-merged branch)

42. What is the purpose of a `.git` directory?

    • Answer: The `.git` directory is the hidden directory that contains all the internal data for the Git repository.

43. How do you create a Git repository from an existing project?

    • Answer: `git init` in the project directory.

44. What is the significance of the SHA-1 hash in Git?

    • Answer: The SHA-1 hash uniquely identifies each Git object (commit, tree, blob). It ensures data integrity and enables efficient version tracking.

45. Explain the concept of a Git worktree.

    • Answer: A Git worktree allows you to have multiple working directories associated with a single repository, allowing you to work on different branches simultaneously without switching branches.

46. What is the command to update a remote repository with your local changes?

    • Answer: `git push origin `

47. How do you protect branches in Git?

    • Answer: Through settings on platforms like GitHub or GitLab, you can configure branch protection rules to prevent direct pushes or require code reviews before merging.

48. What is a force push and when should you use it?

    • Answer: A force push (`git push --force`) overwrites the remote branch with your local branch. Use it cautiously, as it can overwrite other developers' work. It's generally recommended only for local branches or when absolutely necessary and communicated clearly.

49. What is the command to view the configuration settings of your Git repository?

    • Answer: `git config --list`

50. Explain the concept of Git workflows (e.g., Gitflow, GitHub Flow).

    • Answer: Gitflow is a branching model that uses multiple branches for development, feature releases, and hotfixes. GitHub Flow is a simpler model focused on feature branches and pull requests.

51. What is the difference between `git rm` and `rm`?

    • Answer: `rm` is a standard shell command that deletes files. `git rm` removes files from the staging area and the repository.

52. How to view the status of your working directory?

    • Answer: `git status`

53. How do you move or rename a file tracked by Git?

    • Answer: `git mv `

54. What is a sparse checkout in Git?

    • Answer: A sparse checkout allows you to clone only parts of a large repository, saving disk space and improving clone times.

55. Explain how Git handles binary files.

    • Answer: Git handles binary files by storing them as blobs, but it's less efficient than with text files because it can't perform diffs as effectively. Large binary files are better handled with LFS.

56. What are some common Git commands you use frequently in your daily workflow?

    • Answer: Answers will vary but should include a selection from: `git status`, `git add`, `git commit`, `git push`, `git pull`, `git checkout`, `git log`, `git diff`, `git merge`, `git rebase` (with caution), `git stash`.

57. How do you use Git for collaborative development?

    • Answer: Use feature branches, pull requests for code review, resolve merge conflicts collaboratively, use a consistent workflow (like Gitflow or GitHub Flow), and communicate effectively.

58. How do you manage different versions of a project using Git?

    • Answer: Using branches, tags, and the commit history, you can easily navigate to and work with different versions of the project.

59. How do you contribute to an open-source project using Git?

    • Answer: Fork the repository, create a new branch for your changes, commit your changes, create a pull request, and wait for the maintainers to review and merge your changes.

60. Describe a situation where you had to deal with a complex Git issue. How did you solve it?

    • Answer: This is a situational question and requires a specific answer based on personal experience. The answer should detail the problem, the steps taken to troubleshoot and resolve it, and what was learned.

61. Have you ever used Git hooks to automate any tasks? If yes, please explain.

    • Answer: This is a situational question and requires a specific answer based on personal experience. Describe the task, the hook used, and the implementation.

62. What are some of the limitations of Git?

    • Answer: Large binary files can be challenging, managing complex merge conflicts can be time-consuming, learning curve can be steep for beginners, history rewriting with rebase can be risky.

63. How do you keep your Git history clean and organized?

    • Answer: Use descriptive commit messages, squash commits when needed, rebase with caution, avoid force pushes on shared branches, use feature branches effectively.

64. Explain your understanding of Git's performance optimization strategies.

    • Answer: This will vary but could include discussing the use of shallow clones, sparse checkouts, LFS, and efficient branch management.

65. How do you handle accidental commits?

    • Answer: `git reset` (with caution) or `git revert` depending on whether the commit has been pushed to a remote.

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