Key takeaways
- Git tracks every change to your code, so you can undo mistakes, work in parallel and deploy safely.
- Daily commands:
git status,git add,git commit,git pull,git push,git switch -c. - For websites, keep themes, custom plugins and app code in Git — never
wp-config.php, uploads or secrets.
If your website changes are made by editing files over FTP, one wrong save can break the site with no easy way back. Git solves that. It’s the standard tool for version control, and it’s simpler than it looks once you know a handful of commands.
Core concepts#
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Repository (repo) | A project folder tracked by Git, with its full history |
| Commit | A saved snapshot of changes with a message |
| Branch | A parallel line of work (e.g. a new feature) |
| Merge / pull request | Combining a branch back into the main line, usually after review |
| Remote | A shared copy on GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket |
Everyday workflow#
# one-time: get the project
git clone https://github.com/you/client-theme.git
cd client-theme
# start a new piece of work
git switch -c feature/new-header
# see what changed
git status
git diff
# save a snapshot
git add header.php assets/css/main.css
git commit -m "Redesign header with dark mode toggle"
# share it
git push -u origin feature/new-header
# get others' changes
git switch main
git pullWriting good commits#
- Small, focused commits — one logical change each.
- Clear messages in the imperative: “Fix mobile menu overlap”, not “changes”.
- Commit working code; don’t commit broken states to main.
Undoing things#
| Situation | Command |
|---|---|
| Discard unsaved changes to a file | git restore file.php |
| Unstage a file | git restore --staged file.php |
| Fix the last commit message | git commit --amend (before pushing) |
| Undo a pushed commit safely | git revert <commit> |
| See history | git log --oneline --graph |
Need a hand with this?
Get a quick, honest review of your website’s SEO.
What to keep out of Git (.gitignore)#
# WordPress
wp-config.php
wp-content/uploads/
wp-content/cache/
.env
node_modules/
vendor/
*.logNever commit passwords, API keys or database dumps. Use environment variables or a secrets manager.
Git for WordPress projects#
- Track your custom theme, child theme and custom plugins — each can be its own repo.
- Manage third-party plugins with Composer (WPackagist) or simply exclude them.
- Deploy with Git-based hosting, GitHub Actions, or tools like WP Pusher/DeployHQ instead of FTP.
- Combine with a staging site: merge to a staging branch, test, then merge to main to deploy.
Branching strategy for small teams#
Keep main always deployable. Create short-lived feature branches, open a pull request, have someone review, then merge. That’s enough process for most website and SaaS teams.
Git FAQ#
Git vs GitHub?#
Git is the version control tool. GitHub (and GitLab, Bitbucket) host Git repositories online with collaboration features.
Do non-developers need Git?#
Not usually, but knowing that your site’s code is version-controlled — and where — is important for ownership and handovers.
Is there a visual Git app?#
Yes — GitHub Desktop, GitKraken, Sourcetree and VS Code’s built-in Git panel.