Top Git interview Questions for Experienced Developer

1. How do you create a new repository in GitHub?

Repositories are used to store and manage project files and version history.

Go to GitHub → Click on “New” → Enter repository name → Choose visibility (Public/Private) → Click “Create repository”

2. How do you clone a repository to your local machine?

Cloning a repository copies its contents to your local system for development.

git clone https://github.com/username/repository.git

3. How do you create a new branch in Git?

Branches allow you to work on features or fixes independently from the main codebase.

git branch feature-branch
git checkout feature-branch

4. How do you merge a branch into the main branch?

Merging integrates changes from one branch into another.

git checkout main
git merge feature-branch

5. How do you resolve merge conflicts in Git?

Merge conflicts occur when changes in two branches overlap. They must be resolved manually.

Edit conflicting files → Mark resolved sections → git add file → git commit

6. How do you push changes to a remote repository?

Pushing updates the remote repository with your local changes.

git push origin branch-name

7. How do you pull the latest changes from a remote repository?

Pulling fetches and integrates changes from the remote repository into your local branch.

git pull origin branch-name

8. How do you create a pull request in GitHub?

Pull requests propose changes from one branch to another and allow for code review.

Go to GitHub → Navigate to your repository → Click “Pull Requests” → Click “New Pull Request” → Select branches → Submit

9. How do you revert a commit in Git?

Reverting creates a new commit that undoes the changes of a previous commit.

git revert commit-hash

10. How do you squash commits in Git?

Squashing combines multiple commits into one to keep the commit history clean.

git rebase -i HEAD~n (where n is the number of commits to squash)

11. How do you set up SSH keys for GitHub?

SSH keys allow secure authentication with GitHub without entering a password.

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C “your_email@example.com”
Copy the public key → Add it to GitHub under Settings → SSH and GPG keys

12. How do you use GitHub Actions for CI/CD?

GitHub Actions automate workflows like building, testing, and deploying code.

Create a .github/workflows directory → Add a YAML file (e.g., main.yml) → Define jobs and steps

13. How do you fork a repository in GitHub?

Forking creates a copy of a repository under your account for independent development.

Go to the repository → Click “Fork” → Choose your account

14. How do you contribute to an open-source project on GitHub?

Contributing involves forking the repository, making changes, and submitting a pull request.

Fork the repository → Clone it locally → Create a branch → Make changes → Push changes → Submit a pull request

15. How do you tag a specific commit in Git?

Tags mark specific commits, often used for versioning releases.

git tag -a v1.0 -m “Version 1.0”
git push origin v1.0