git init creates a new Git repository by adding a .git folder to your project directory.

The staging area (also called the index) is where you prepare files before committing them. It lets you choose exactly which changes go into each commit.

git status shows which files are modified, staged, or untracked in your repository.

A commit is a snapshot of your entire project at a specific moment. It includes all staged changes along with a message describing what changed.

HEAD is a pointer that indicates which commit or branch you're currently working on. It moves when you switch branches or make new commits.

git branch <name> creates a new branch pointing to your current commit. Use git switch <name> to move to it.

A fast-forward merge occurs when there are no new commits on the target branch. Git simply moves the pointer forward - no new commit is needed.

git push uploads your local commits to a remote repository, making them available to others.

git pull fetches changes from a remote repository and automatically merges them into your current branch.

git restore <file> discards changes in your working directory and restores the file to its last committed state.