How to Install Git on Debian 12, 11, or 10

Git is a powerful version control system widely used in software development. It allows developers to track changes in their code, collaborate with team members, and manage project versions efficiently. For those working on a Debian system, Git offers several features and benefits:

Version Tracking: Git keeps a detailed history of code changes, making it easy to revert to previous versions if needed.
Collaboration: Multiple developers can work on the same project simultaneously without conflicts, thanks to branching and merging capabilities.
Distributed System: Git is distributed, meaning every developer has a complete repository copy. This allows for offline work and adds redundancy.
Branching and Merging: Create branches to work on new features or fixes without affecting the main codebase, then merge changes seamlessly.
Staging Area: Stage-specific changes for commit, enabling precise control over what is included in each version update.
Integration with CI/CD: Easily integrate with continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) tools to automate testing and deployment.
Community and Support: Extensive documentation and a large community provide ample support and resources for troubleshooting and learning.

With the introduction out of the way, let’s explore how to install Git on Debian using terminal commands and various methods.

Update Debian Before Git Installation

To install Git on a Debian system, updating your system with the latest packages first is recommended to avoid conflicts. Run the following command to update your system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This command updates your system and ensures that all existing packages are up-to-date.

Method 1: Install Git via Debian’s Default Repository

The first method, recommended for most users, is to install the version maintained by the Debian team. If you need the latest versions, see method 2 in this guide.

Proceed with the Installation of Git

Next, you can install Git using the APT package manager by running the following command:

sudo apt install git

This installs the Git package from the Debian default repository.

Verify Git Version

Once installed, verify the installation:

git --version

This should display the version of Git that you just installed.

Method 2: Install Git via the source

For those who want to install the latest version of Git, installing it from the source is recommended. This lets you quickly re-compile any urgent updates and ensures you have the latest version of Git installed.

Install Initial Packages For Git Installation

First, you need to install the Git build dependencies by running the following command:

sudo apt install make libssl-dev libghc-zlib-dev libcurl4-gnutls-dev libexpat1-dev gettext

This command installs the necessary dependencies for building Git from the source.

Download the Git source archive

Next, you must visit the Git release page and download the source code. You can use the wget command to download the latest stable release Tar archive. For example, to download the latest stable release, you can run the following command:

wget https://github.com/git/git/archive/refs/tags/v2.40.0.tar.gz

Note: The version number may be different when you read this.

Extract Git from the source archive:

After downloading the source code, you need to extract the tar archive. You can do this by running the following command:

tar -xvf v2.40.0.tar.gz

Note: Remember that these commands are examples. Replace the “2.40.0” with your version number, as it will differ.

Once the archive is extracted, navigate to the extracted directory using the cd command. For example:

cd git-2.40.0

Build and Install Git via source

Run the following command to build Git from the source:

make prefix=/usr/local all

This command compiles the source code and creates the executable files that comprise Git. The prefix=/usr/local option specifies the installation directory for the compiled software.

Once the compilation is complete, run the following command to install Git:

sudo make prefix=/usr/local install

This command copies the necessary files to the appropriate locations on your system so that you can use Git.

Verify Git installation via source

Finally, verify that Git has been installed successfully by running the following command:

git -version

This should display the version of Git that you just installed.

Git Command Examples

The following parts will cover some typical setups and commands used daily by users of GIT.

To set up your name and email in Git, use the following commands:

git config --global user.name "YOUR NAME"
git config --global user.email "YOUR EMAIL"

These commands will configure your name and email for Git commit messages.

To create a new directory for Git, use the following commands:

mkdir example-directory
cd example-directory
git init

These commands will create and initialize a new directory for Git.

To check your Git configuration details, use the following commands:

git config --list
cat ~/.gitconfig

These commands will show you the configuration details stored in Git.

To store Git credentials, you can enable the credential helper cache using the following commands:

git config --global credential.helper cache
git config --global credential.helper "cache --timeout=18000"

These commands will allow Git to cache your credentials for a limited time to increase security.

To view the status of a Git repository, use the following command:

git status

This command will show you the status of your Git repository.

To connect to a remote Git repository, use the following command:

git remote add origin remote-repository-link

This command will allow you to sync and download/upload changes to the remote repository.

To commit changes in your Git directory, use the following command:

git commit -m "git message changelog"

This command will allow you to commit your changes with a message in the changelog.

To push changes to the remote repository, use the following command:

git push origin master

This command will allow you to push your changes to the remote repository to sync both versions.

To pull changes from the remote repository, use the following command:

git pull origin master

This command will allow you to pull changes from the remote repository to sync both versions.

Conclusion

Installing Git on Debian 12, 11, or 10 is straightforward. You can use APT for the stable version or compile from source for the latest features. This guide covered both methods. Once Git is installed, configure it with your name and email, and you’re ready to commit, push, and pull code. These steps make managing your code easier and more efficient. Happy coding!