lesson_2_reflections.txt

Q: What happens when you initialize a repository? Why do you need to do it?

A: When we initialize a git repository, a .git directory is created which stores all the meta data
which keeps track of the history of files in the repository.
We need to initialize a repository so that we can track changes made to the files in repo,
and hence use version control.


Q: How is the staging area different from the working directory and the repository? What value do you think it offers?

A: 3 different stages of control.


Q: How can you use the staging area to make sure you have one commit per logical change?

A: Only stage files involved in that logical change. And commit them.


Q: What are some situations when branches would be helpful in keeping your history organized? How would branches help?

A: Branches are helpful we want want to try out some experimental changes while keeping our working branch intact.


Q: How do the diagrams help you visualize the branch structure?

A: Diagrams of commits with arrows helps us visualize how each commit knows about it's parent but not child.


Q: What is the result of merging two branches together? Why do we represent it in the diagram the way we do?

A: On merging the new resultant branch is expected to have features of both the branches.
Because it merge commit has 2 parents and hence it remembers about both of them.


Q: What are the pros and cons of Git’s automatic merging vs. always doing merges manually?

A: Con is that some times it detects  pretty obvious differences as conflicts.
Pro is that it gives us more control to see and manage conflicts ourselves.