presentation.org

Magit

What is it?

Magit is a Git Porcelain for Emacs

This evening has two goals:

• Brief introduction to Magit … Just enough to get you started
• Demo to show Magit is compelling

Magit version 2.1 requires:

• Emacs 24.4
• Git 1.9.4

Porcelain?

Porcelain is interface, plumbing is underneath.

• Graphical Git Interfaces:
  • Don’t play well with your files
  • Pretty, but separate from your work flow
• IDEs extensions to existing VCS:
  • Think: [[http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/Version-Control.html][C-x v]] …
  • Expects standard behavior for git
  • No git-specific features… can’t:
    • create branches
    • rebase
    • squash commits

Command Line?

Command line is a Porcelain:

• Need to use commit IDs: git rebase -i 4205ac43 git rebase -i HEAD~3
• Lots of typing. Aliases fix that.
• Error feedback is good…for a CLI

While not a bad interface, Magit actually improves it.

Magit Position

But Wait, There’s More!

Using Gerrit requires a straight history with no twigs making divisions.

Good idea, but means re-basing… Magit shines with interactive rebasing.

How to Learn?

Jump right in! M-x package-install magit

(require 'magit)
(global-set-key (kbd "C-x g") 'magit-status)

Clone github.com/howardabrams/magit-demo

Run: gitrepo-history-conflict.sh Run: gitrepo-history-nice.sh

Summary

• Home Page: github.com/magit/magit
• Online Tutorials and Books:
  • Magit Documentation and Info Mode
  • Mastering Emacs, by Mickey Peterson
  • Magit Cheatsheet, by Daemian Mack
• Other Package Integrations:
  • Gerrit: github.com/terranpro/magit-gerrit
  • Github: github.com/sigma/magit-gh-pulls

Questions?