Top 30 Most Common Interview Questions On Git You Should Prepare For
Written by
James Miller, Career Coach
Introduction
Navigating technical interviews requires solid foundational knowledge, and for any role involving software development or collaboration, understanding Git is non-negotiable. Git is the industry standard for version control, enabling teams to manage code changes efficiently, track history, and collaborate seamlessly. Hiring managers frequently test candidates' Git proficiency to ensure they can integrate into modern development workflows, recover from mistakes, and contribute effectively in a team environment. This blog post compiles the top 30 most common interview questions on Git, providing concise yet comprehensive answers to help you prepare thoroughly. Mastering these concepts and commands is crucial for demonstrating your technical competence and confidence during your next interview. Whether you're a junior developer or a seasoned pro, refreshing your Git knowledge with these key questions is an essential step towards landing your dream job. Prepare to confidently answer these interview questions on git and showcase your version control expertise.
What Are interview questions on git?
Interview questions on Git are designed to assess a candidate's understanding of version control concepts, common Git workflows, and the ability to use Git commands effectively. These questions range from basic definitions of terms like repository and commit to more complex scenarios involving branching strategies, conflict resolution, and undoing changes. They evaluate not just command memorization but also the underlying principles of how Git tracks history, manages parallel development, and facilitates collaboration. Interview questions on Git aim to gauge a candidate's practical experience and theoretical knowledge, ensuring they can handle real-world development tasks and contribute positively to a team's codebase management practices.
Why Do Interviewers Ask interview questions on git?
Interviewers ask interview questions on Git because Git proficiency is fundamental to modern software development. Teams rely on Git for tracking every code change, enabling collaboration, facilitating parallel development through branching, and maintaining a clear project history. Assessing Git skills helps interviewers determine if a candidate can effectively work within a team, manage their own code changes, resolve conflicts, and understand the impact of their Git operations. It demonstrates a candidate's ability to use essential tools, understand collaborative workflows, and recover from errors, all critical aspects of daily development life. Strong answers to interview questions on Git signal a candidate is ready for the demands of a collaborative coding environment.
Preview List
What is Git and how does it differ from other version control systems?
What is a Git repository?
How does Git work?
What is the difference between
git pullandgit fetch?What does
git adddo?What is
git commit?Explain branching in Git.
What is the difference between
git mergeandgit rebase?What is a detached HEAD?
How to fix a detached HEAD state?
How to revert a Git repository to a previous commit?
What does
git statusshow?What is the use of
git stash?What is the difference between
git checkoutandgit switch?What is the significance of
git merge --no-ff?What is a .gitignore file?
How do you handle large files in Git?
What is the
git submodulecommand?What is the difference between
git reset,git revert, andgit checkout?Explain Git branching strategies.
How do you configure Git for multiple projects?
How do you resolve merge conflicts?
What is the staging area in Git?
What are Git hooks?
How to undo the last commit but keep changes?
How does Git store data internally?
What is a SHA-1 hash in Git?
How do you clone a Git repository?
What is the difference between
originandupstreamin Git?How do you contribute to open source using Git?
1. What is Git and how does it differ from other version control systems?
Why you might get asked this:
This foundational question tests your basic understanding of Git's purpose and its core architectural difference (distributed vs. centralized) from older systems.
How to answer:
Define Git, then explain its distributed nature, contrasting it with centralized systems regarding history storage, speed, and offline capability.
Example answer:
Git is a distributed version control system (DVCS) for tracking code changes. Unlike centralized systems (like SVN), where history is only on a central server, Git stores the full history locally, making operations faster, allowing offline work, and providing greater flexibility.
2. What is a Git repository?
Why you might get asked this:
Interviewers want to know if you understand the fundamental container for project files and history in Git.
How to answer:
Describe it as the project's database where Git stores all versions, history, and metadata. Mention both local and remote types.
Example answer:
A Git repository is essentially a database or folder where Git stores all project files, commit history, and configuration metadata. It can exist locally on your machine or remotely on a server like GitHub or GitLab.
3. How does Git work?
Why you might get asked this:
This question probes your understanding of Git's internal mechanics – how it tracks changes differently from other systems.
How to answer:
Explain that Git stores snapshots of the project at each commit, not just diffs. Mention the DAG structure of commits for history.
Example answer:
Git tracks changes by storing snapshots of the entire project files at each commit point. It uses a directed acyclic graph (DAG) to represent the commit history, connecting commits and branches to show development lines.
4. What is the difference between git pull and git fetch?
Why you might get asked this:
A common confusion point, this tests your understanding of bringing remote changes into your local repository and whether merging occurs automatically.
How to answer:
Clarify that fetch downloads remote data without modifying your working files, while pull does a fetch followed by a merge or rebase.
Example answer:
git fetch downloads the latest changes and objects from the remote repository but doesn't integrate them into your current branch. git pull, on the other hand, performs a git fetch and then immediately merges or rebashes the fetched changes into your current branch.
5. What does git add do?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests understanding of the first step in the commit process – preparing changes for the next commit.
How to answer:
Explain it moves changes from the working directory to the staging area (index), making them ready for the next commit.
Example answer:
git add stages changes from the working directory. It adds the specified file or directory changes to the staging area (index), which is an intermediate step before committing. Only staged changes are included in the next commit.
6. What is git commit?
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses knowledge of the fundamental action of saving staged changes into the repository's history.
How to answer:
Describe it as the action that records the staged changes, creating a new, immutable commit object with a unique hash and message.
Example answer:
git commit takes the changes currently in the staging area and records them permanently into the repository's history. It creates a new commit object, which includes a unique ID (SHA-1 hash), a commit message, and references the parent commit(s).
7. Explain branching in Git.
Why you might get asked this:
Branching is central to Git workflows; this checks if you understand its purpose and mechanism for parallel development.
How to answer:
Explain it's a pointer to a commit, allowing separate lines of development. Mention its lightweight nature in Git compared to other systems.
Example answer:
Branching in Git is creating an independent line of development. Essentially, a branch is just a lightweight movable pointer to one of the commits. It lets developers work on new features or fixes in isolation without affecting the main codebase until they are ready to merge.
8. What is the difference between git merge and git rebase?
Why you might get asked this:
A classic question testing knowledge of two primary methods for integrating changes and their impact on commit history.
How to answer:
Explain merge combines histories, creating a new merge commit. Explain rebase rewrites history by moving commits to another base, creating a linear history.
Example answer:
git merge combines the history of two branches, creating a new "merge commit" that has two parent commits. This preserves the original branching structure. git rebase moves or reapplies commits from one branch onto another, rewriting history to create a single, linear sequence of commits.
9. What is a detached HEAD?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests understanding of the HEAD pointer and states where it's not pointing to a branch name, which can be confusing or problematic.
How to answer:
Explain that HEAD usually points to the current branch, but in a detached state, it points directly to a specific commit, not a branch pointer.
Example answer:
A detached HEAD state occurs when the HEAD pointer points directly to a specific commit instead of pointing to a branch name. If you make new commits in this state, they won't be part of any branch and can be lost unless you explicitly create a new branch there.
10. How to fix a detached HEAD state?
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses practical problem-solving skills in Git, specifically how to handle a non-standard state.
How to answer:
Explain you need to create a new branch from the current commit (where HEAD is) and then switch to that new branch.
Example answer:
To fix a detached HEAD state, you should create a new branch starting from the commit where HEAD is currently pointing using git branch . Then, switch to this new branch using git checkout (or git switch ).
11. How to revert a Git repository to a previous commit?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests knowledge of different methods for undoing changes and their implications (rewriting history vs. adding new history).
How to answer:
Describe git reset --hard for truly reverting (discarding changes) and git revert for undoing a specific commit by creating a new commit.
Example answer:
You can use git reset --hard to force your current branch pointer and working directory back to a specific commit, discarding subsequent changes. Alternatively, git revert creates a new commit that undoes the changes introduced by the specified commit, preserving history.
12. What does git status show?
Why you might get asked this:
A basic but essential command; interviewers want to see if you know how to check the state of your working copy.
How to answer:
Explain it shows the state of the working directory and staging area, listing which files are modified, staged, or untracked.
Example answer:
git status provides information about the current state of your Git repository. It shows your current branch, which files have been modified in the working directory, which changes are staged for the next commit, and which files are untracked.
13. What is the use of git stash?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests knowledge of managing temporary changes without committing them, useful for context switching.
How to answer:
Explain it temporarily saves changes you don't want to commit yet, allowing you to switch branches or clean your working directory.
Example answer:
git stash is used to temporarily save changes that you don't want to commit immediately. It stores your modified tracked files and staged changes onto a stack, cleaning your working directory so you can switch branches or work on something else without committing unfinished work.
14. What is the difference between git checkout and git switch?
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates awareness of newer Git commands and the move towards separating command responsibilities.
How to answer:
Explain checkout is overloaded (switching branches, restoring files), while switch is a newer command specifically for switching branches, offering clarity.
Example answer:
Historically, git checkout was used for both switching branches and restoring file contents. git switch is a newer command introduced to specifically handle switching between branches, making the command line interface clearer by separating concerns from file restoration (git restore).
15. What is the significance of git merge --no-ff?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests understanding of merge types and preserving historical context, important for certain workflow preferences.
How to answer:
Explain it forces Git to create a merge commit even during a fast-forward scenario, explicitly showing the branch merge point in history.
Example answer:
The --no-ff flag with git merge prevents a fast-forward merge, even if one is possible. It forces Git to create a new merge commit. This is significant because it explicitly records the merging of the branch, preserving the historical context of where a feature branch diverged and was integrated.
16. What is a .gitignore file?
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses knowledge of managing untracked files and keeping repositories clean.
How to answer:
Describe it as a plain text file listing patterns of files and directories Git should ignore (e.g., build artifacts, logs, IDE config files).
Example answer:
A .gitignore file is a simple text file in the root of a Git repository that lists intentionally untracked files or directories that Git should ignore. This prevents things like compiled code, log files, temporary files, or OS-generated files from being accidentally committed.
17. How do you handle large files in Git?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests awareness of Git's limitations with large binary files and solutions like Git LFS.
How to answer:
Mention that Git isn't designed for large binaries and explain Git LFS (Large File Storage) as a common solution that stores pointers in Git while files are external.
Example answer:
Git is designed for source code and doesn't handle large binary files well. A common solution is Git LFS (Large File Storage), which stores references or pointers to the large files in your repository while the actual files are stored separately on a remote server.
18. What is the git submodule command?
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates knowledge of managing external dependencies that are themselves Git repositories within a main project.
How to answer:
Explain it's used to include another Git repository as a subdirectory within your current repository, maintaining its own history separately.
Example answer:
The git submodule command is used to manage other Git repositories as subdirectories within your main repository. This allows you to incorporate external code libraries or dependencies while keeping them as distinct repositories with their own commit history, separate from the main project's history.
19. What is the difference between git reset, git revert, and git checkout?
Why you might get asked this:
This tests your understanding of three commands often used for undoing/navigating changes, highlighting their distinct purposes and effects on history/working directory.
How to answer:
Explain reset moves the branch pointer, potentially altering staging/working tree. revert creates a new commit to undo changes. checkout switches branches or restores files.
Example answer:
git reset moves the current branch pointer to a different commit and can modify the staging area and working directory. git revert creates a new commit that undoes the changes of a previous commit, preserving history. git checkout is used to switch branches or restore specific files to a previous state.
20. Explain Git branching strategies.
Why you might get asked this:
Tests awareness of common development workflows and how teams structure their work using branches.
How to answer:
Describe well-known strategies like Git Flow (main, develop, feature, release, hotfix branches) or simpler patterns like Trunk-Based Development.
Example answer:
Common Git branching strategies include Git Flow, which uses dedicated branches for different purposes like main (production), develop (integration), feature (new features), release, and hotfix. Another approach is Trunk-Based Development, where developers merge small, frequent changes directly to the main trunk.
21. How do you configure Git for multiple projects?
Why you might get asked this:
Assesses practical configuration skills, especially for developers working on projects with different settings (e.g., work vs. personal).
How to answer:
Explain using git config with --global, --system, or --local for different scopes, or includeIf conditionals in the global config for path-specific settings.
Example answer:
You can use git config with different scopes: --global for your user, --system for all users, or --local for a single repository. For multiple projects needing different settings, you can use includeIf directives in your global config to conditionally apply settings based on the repository path.
22. How do you resolve merge conflicts?
Why you might get asked this:
A frequent task in team environments; this tests your ability to handle conflicts effectively.
How to answer:
Explain the process: Git marks conflicts, you manually edit files to resolve differences, stage the resolved files, and create a new commit.
Example answer:
When a merge conflict occurs, Git marks the conflicting sections in the affected files. You need to manually edit these files to choose which changes to keep, removing the conflict markers. After resolving, stage the modified files (git add) and complete the merge with a new commit (git commit).
23. What is the staging area in Git?
Why you might get asked this:
Reinforces understanding of Git's three states (working directory, staging, repository) and the role of the index.
How to answer:
Describe it as an intermediate area (the index) between the working directory and the repository, used to prepare changes for the next commit.
Example answer:
The staging area, also known as the index, is a temporary area where you collect changes from your working directory that you want to include in your next commit. It allows you to create highly focused commits by selectively adding changes before committing them to the repository.
24. What are Git hooks?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests knowledge of Git's customization capabilities for automating workflows.
How to answer:
Explain they are custom scripts that Git executes automatically at specific points (events) in its workflow, like before a commit (pre-commit) or after a push (post-receive).
Example answer:
Git hooks are custom scripts that can be placed in the .git/hooks directory of a repository. They are executed automatically by Git at certain events, such as before a commit (pre-commit), after a commit (post-commit), before a push (pre-push), or after receiving pushes on the server (post-receive). They automate tasks like code linting or deployment.
25. How to undo the last commit but keep changes?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests a specific, common scenario for backing out a commit while retaining the work done.
How to answer:
Provide the command git reset --soft HEAD~1 and explain it moves the branch pointer back but leaves the changes in the staging area.
Example answer:
To undo the last commit while keeping the changes in your staging area, you use the command git reset --soft HEAD~1. This moves the branch pointer back by one commit (HEAD~1) but leaves your files and staged changes intact, ready to be committed again.
26. How does Git store data internally?
Why you might get asked this:
Probes deeper understanding of Git's object model beyond just commands.
How to answer:
Explain Git uses a content-addressable filesystem storing data as objects: blobs (file content), trees (directory structure), and commits (snapshots referencing trees and parents).
Example answer:
Git stores data internally as objects within a content-addressable filesystem. The three main types are blobs (representing file content), trees (representing directory structures and linking to blobs or other trees), and commits (representing a specific state of the repository, linking to a tree and parent commits).
27. What is a SHA-1 hash in Git?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests understanding of how Git uniquely identifies objects and ensures data integrity.
How to answer:
Explain it's a unique 40-character identifier generated by hashing the content of any Git object (commit, blob, tree), ensuring data integrity and immutability.
Example answer:
A SHA-1 hash is a 40-character hexadecimal string that Git uses to uniquely identify every object in the repository, including commits, blobs, and trees. It's generated from the content of the object itself, ensuring data integrity and immutability.
28. How do you clone a Git repository?
Why you might get asked this:
A fundamental task; confirms you know how to get a remote repository onto your local machine.
How to answer:
Provide the command git clone and explain it copies the remote repository, including its full history.
Example answer:
To clone a Git repository, you use the command git clone . This command downloads a copy of the remote repository to your local machine, including all branches and the complete commit history.
29. What is the difference between origin and upstream in Git?
Why you might get asked this:
Tests understanding of common remote naming conventions, especially in fork-based workflows (like open source).
How to answer:
Explain origin is the default name for the remote you cloned or forked from (often your personal fork), while upstream is a conventional name for the original repository you forked from.
Example answer:
In Git, origin is the default name given to the remote repository you cloned or forked from. It typically refers to your personal copy or fork. upstream is a common convention used to refer to the original repository that you forked from, useful for syncing changes from the main project.
30. How do you contribute to open source using Git?
Why you might get asked this:
Evaluates knowledge of a common collaborative workflow involving forking and pull requests.
How to answer:
Outline the standard steps: fork the repository, clone your fork, create a feature branch, make changes, commit, push to your fork, and open a pull request to the original repository.
Example answer:
Contributing typically involves forking the main repository on a platform like GitHub. You then clone your fork locally, create a new branch for your contribution, make and commit your changes, push the branch to your fork, and finally open a pull request from your fork's branch to the main repository.
Other Tips to Prepare for a interview questions on git
Beyond memorizing commands, truly understanding the underlying concepts is key for interview questions on Git. Practice different scenarios: resolving merge conflicts, using rebase vs merge, stashing changes, and recovering from mistakes like accidental commits or resets. "Understanding the 'why' behind the commands makes you a much stronger candidate," notes a senior developer. Familiarize yourself with graphical Git tools if you use them, but be prepared to explain the command-line equivalents. Consider using resources like the official Git documentation or interactive tutorials. For targeted practice, the Verve AI Interview Copilot offers custom mock interviews, including specific practice for interview questions on Git. Its AI can simulate realistic scenarios and provide feedback, helping you refine your answers. Don't just review commands; think about how you'd explain workflows and troubleshoot problems in a team setting. Using the Verve AI Interview Copilot can boost your confidence by providing structured practice answering common interview questions on Git. You can access it here: https://vervecopilot.com. Preparation is paramount, and mock interviews via Verve AI Interview Copilot can significantly enhance your readiness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What's the difference between Git and GitHub? A1: Git is the version control system; GitHub is a cloud-based hosting service for Git repositories and collaboration platform built around Git.
Q2: How do you revert changes to a specific file? A2: Use git checkout -- to discard unstaged changes in the working directory or git restore .
Q3: What is cherry-picking in Git? A3: git cherry-pick applies the changes from a specific commit on one branch onto another branch as a new commit.
Q4: How do you squash commits? A4: Use git rebase -i or HEAD~N to interactively combine multiple commits into a single one.
Q5: What is a remote repository? A5: A version of your project hosted on the internet or a network, allowing collaboration among multiple people.
Q6: How do you view commit history? A6: Use git log, often with flags like --oneline, --graph, or --all for different views.
