Version Control Flashcards

What does `git reflog` provide that `git log` does not?

Answer: A history of all HEAD movements, including those from resets and checkouts

`git reflog` records every time HEAD has moved, making it possible to recover commits lost after a reset or branch deletion.

What is 'trunk-based development'?

Answer: All developers commit frequently to a single main branch, with feature flags to hide incomplete work

Trunk-based development keeps the main branch always releasable by integrating small, frequent changes directly rather than long-lived branches.

Which command renames a local Git branch?

Answer: git branch -m

`git branch -m` moves/renames a branch; when two names are provided it renames the old branch to the new name.

What is the effect of `git commit --amend`?

Answer: Modifies the most recent commit, replacing it with a new commit that includes staged changes and/or a new message

`git commit --amend` rewrites the last commit with any newly staged changes and allows editing the commit message.

What is a 'bare' Git repository?

Answer: A repository with no working directory, used as a central server-side repository

A bare repository stores only the Git data (like the `.git` folder) with no checked-out working tree, making it ideal for remote/server use.

In Git, what is the index (also called the staging area)?

Answer: An intermediate area where changes are prepared before being included in a commit

The index is a staging layer between the working directory and the commit history where you curate changes with `git add`.

What does the `--force-with-lease` flag do when pushing to a remote?

Answer: Only force-pushes if no one else has pushed to the branch since your last fetch, preventing accidental overwrites

`--force-with-lease` is a safer alternative to `--force` that aborts if the remote ref has been updated by someone else since you last fetched.