The key to using Git effectively is to develop several important habits. First, keep the submission small and focused. Each submission only contains logically related changes, ensuring that the submission information clearly states the changes and reasons; second, use descriptive branch names such as auth/fix-password-reset-flow instead of vague names, and delete the old branches after merger; third, write meaningful submission information, follow a brief summary and detailed explanation format, emphasizing the reasons for the changes; finally, review the changes before submission, use git diff or git add -p to confirm the content, and use .gitignore to avoid committing irrelevant files. These steps can significantly improve collaboration efficiency and code maintainability.

Using Git effectively boils down to a few key habits that make collaboration smoother and history easier to follow. It's not just about committing code — it's about making sure those commits are meaningful, your branches are managed, and conflicts don't become disasters.

Keep Commits Small and Focused

One of the easiest ways to improve your Git workflow is by making smaller, more focused commits. Instead of doing a big dump of changes with a commit message like "updated files," break things into logical chunks.

• If you fix a typo in one file and change functionality in another, commit them separately.
• Each commit should tell a clear story: what changed, and why.
• This makes reviewing code easier and helps when you need to roll back a specific change without pulling in unrelated updates.

A good rule of thumb: if your commit message starts sounding like a list ("Fix bug, update styles, add new feature"), it's probably too big.

Use Descriptive Branch Names

Branch names matter more than people often realize. You might know what “fix-login” means today, but will you remember next week? Will someone else?

• Aim for clarity over brevity. Something like auth/fix-password-reset-flow tells you exactly what area of ??the app it affects and what the purpose is.
• Avoid generic names like “dev” or “feature1” — they lead to confusion, especially when multiple people are working on similar features.
• Delete old branches once they're merged — it keeps your repo clean and avoids noise.

This practice pays off especially during code reviews or when debugging issues later.

Write Meaningful Commit Messages

You'll thank yourself (and so will your teammates) when you take a few extra seconds to write a real commit message. A good format looks like this:

 Short summary (50 chars or less)

More detailed explanation here. Wrap lines at around 72 characters.
Explain *why* you made the change, not just what was changed.

• The first line should be a quick summary that shows up in logs and diffs.
• The body explains context — maybe a bug number, or what problem this solves.
• Don't skip the body just because it feels optional.

Commit messages help when searching through history or trying to understand why something was done a certain way.

Review Changes Before Committing

It's easy to accidentally commit something you didn't mean to — an old debug log, a config file with local settings, or even generated files that shouldn't be tracked.

• Always use git diff or git add -p before committing to double-check what's going in.
• Consider using a .gitignore file religiously — it prevents clutter and mistakes.
• Tools like Git hooks can help automate checks, like preventing large files from being added.

This habit catches small mistakes early and avoids messy cleanup later.

That's basically it — nothing fancy, but solid practices that scale well as projects grow. Small commits, clear messages, smart branch names, and careful adds go a long way.

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