FOSSPicks

Git client

bit

Git, the version control system that's used to manage the Linux kernel source code and a million other code projects, is an amazing tool. It's decentralized, powerful, and relatively easy to get started with. For these reasons, more and more people are using it for things it was never designed for, such as managing configuration files and PGP keys or even handling changes in documentation and edits to Markdown documents. But there's a serious problem with Git; it can quickly become overly complicated. When you're not intimately versed in whatever specific incantation it requires, it can leave your local repositories in a mess. What's needed is a Git helper that isn't a GUI and doesn't swamp instant responsiveness of the Git command line. This is exactly what bit attempts to do.

There are a few alternatives to Git that attempt to make it a little more manageable, but bit is the easiest we've found to use. It uses a pop-up menu system to show you a list of options that are context-sensitive to your current location and repository state. Type bit in a repository, and you're immediately presented with a list of Git arguments, commands, and flags, complete with a brief explanation of what each does. The really clever thing is that this menu isn't statically generated but is instead a list of commands populated by the context of your directory and repository state. You'll see your own branches, aliases, and commits, for instance, and pressing return fills out the remainder of the command automatically. There are also a few new commands, such as bit sync to synchronize all your changes to the origin branch and bit save to save changes to the current branch. It's a brilliant way to get started with Git, and also a great client if you don't use it all that often.

Project Website

https://github.com/chriswalz/bit

If you love Git but have found it difficult to navigate, bit is brilliant.

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