Git Fundamentals

Version Control for Data Analytics

Ying-Ju Tessa Chen, PhD
Scholar   |   @ying-ju   |   ychen4@udayton.edu

February 05, 2026

Today’s Goals

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Explain what Git is (and what it is not)
• Track versions of your work locally using Git
• Create commits confidently
• Understand how Git fits into real analytics workflows

No prior Git experience required.

Why Version Control Matters

Common problems without Git:

• “final_v3_REAL_final.R”
• Accidentally overwriting your own work
• Losing track of what changed (and why)
• Fear of experimenting

Git helps you:

• Keep a clean history of your work
• Experiment without fear
• Understand how your project evolved

Git vs. GitHub (High Level)

Git

• A version control system
• Runs on your computer
• Tracks changes to files over time

GitHub

• A hosting and collaboration platform
• Built on top of Git
• Used for sharing and teamwork

👉 Today: Git only 👉 Later workshop: GitHub & collaboration

How Git Thinks (The Mental Model)

Git tracks snapshots, not just files.

Three key places:

1. Working Directory – your files
2. Staging Area – changes you intend to save
3. Repository – committed history

Understanding this model matters more than memorizing commands.

The Git Workflow (Big Picture)

Typical cycle:

1. Edit files
2. Stage changes
3. Commit changes

This cycle repeats many times during a project.

When we say ‘files,’ we mean anything — code, data, notes, or reports. Git tracks all of them.

What Is a Commit?

A commit is:

• A snapshot of your project
• With a message explaining why the change was made
• A point you can return to later

Think of commits as:

“Saved checkpoints with explanations”

Install Git

Example Project Folder Structure

🪟 Windows

C:\Users\username\Documents\
└── git-projects\
    ├── r-demo\
    │   ├── analysis.R
    │   ├── notes.txt
    │   └── README.md
    │
    └── MTH-207\
        ├── syllabus.qmd
        ├── lectures\
        ├── assignments\
        └── README.md

🍎 macOS

~/Documents/
└── git-projects/
    ├── r-demo/
    │   ├── analysis.R
    │   ├── notes.txt
    │   └── README.md
    │
    └── MTH-207/
        ├── syllabus.qmd
        ├── lectures/
        ├── assignments/
        └── README.md

• Each project has its own folder and its own Git repository. Git tracks everything inside the project folder.
• Git doesn’t create a separate copy of your project somewhere else. It just adds a hidden folder .git that remembers your history.
• If you delete the .git folder, you delete the Git history — but your files stay.

Step 1: Open a folder

You can:

Create a folder (e.g., git-workshop)

Either:

• Open the terminal inside that folder, or

• Navigate to it using the terminal

Both are valid.

Step 2: Start the terminal there

• Windows: Right-click folder → Open in Terminal (or Git Bash)

• macOS: Right-click folder → New Terminal at Folder

Step 3: Initialize Git

Once the terminal is open in that folder, we initialize Git:

git init

How to check if Git is installed

git --version

If it works:

• Git is installed

• PATH is fine

• Move on immediately

If it does NOT work:

• Then (and only then) you troubleshoot installation.

Checking the Status

Before doing anything, always ask Git:

git status

This tells you:

• What Git is tracking
• What has changed
• What is staged vs unstaged

👉 git status is your best friend.

Staging Changes

To tell Git what you want to commit:

git add filename

Or everything:

git add .

Staging = selecting changes intentionally

Making a Commit

To save a snapshot:

git commit -m "Short, clear message"

Good commit messages:

• Describe what changed
• Explain why (if needed)

Bad: “update”

Good: “Add data cleaning notes”

Viewing History

To see your project’s history:

git log

You’ll see:

• Commit messages
• Timestamps
• A timeline of your work

Why Git Is Useful Even Alone

You don’t need a team to benefit from Git.

Git helps when:

• Working on homework
• Writing code or reports
• Doing research or analysis
• Experimenting with ideas

Git is about you + your future self.

What We Are NOT Covering Today

Very important 🚨

We are not covering:

• GitHub or Bitbucket
• Branches or merges
• Collaboration workflows
• Conflict resolution
• IDE buttons (RStudio / VS Code)

👉 These come later.

Common Beginner Mistakes

• Waiting too long to commit
• Writing unclear commit messages
• Forgetting to check git status
• Being afraid to “break” something

You cannot break Git

• Git does not delete your files when you make a mistake
• Git does not send anything online
• Git records history instead of overwriting it
• You can always stop, check, and recover

Good news: Git is designed to protect you — and most mistakes are reversible.

Best Practices (Start Simple)

• Commit early and often
• Use meaningful messages
• Keep commits small
• Don’t panic — Git remembers

What Comes Next

In a future workshop:

• GitHub & Bitbucket
• Collaboration
• Branches & pull requests
• Real team workflows

Today’s goal:

Confidence, not mastery

Final Takeaways

• Git is a tool for thinking, not just coding
• You now know the core Git workflow
• You are ready to practice on your own projects

Thank you for participating!

Please do not hesitate to contact me (Tessa Chen) at   ychen4@udayton.edu for questions or further discussions.

AI Acknowledgment: This presentation was prepared with the assistance of AI-based tools for drafting, editing, and formatting support. All content and interpretations are the author’s own.