Add basics draft

Author: Hwesta

README.md

@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ Specifically, this assumes you know how to:
 * Push changes to remote (`git push`)
 * Get updates (`git pull`)
 * Check the current status (`git status`, `git diff`, `git diff --cached`)
-* Create a branch, maybe (`git branch`, `git checkout -b`)
 
+If you're unsure on any of those, see the [basics](docs/basics.md) section.
 
 Other prerequisites:
 

docs/basics.md

@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+# Basics
+
+The [git book](https://git-scm.com/book) is a thorough and helpful introduction to installing and setting up git.
+Sections [1 Getting Started](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Getting-Started-About-Version-Control) and [2 Git Basics](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Basics-Getting-a-Git-Repository) cover everything we expect plus a little extra.
+Below we review the commands we expect you to know, plus a summary of usage and a link to more information.
+
+<!-- START doctoc generated TOC please keep comment here to allow auto update -->
+<!-- DON'T EDIT THIS SECTION, INSTEAD RE-RUN doctoc TO UPDATE -->
+
+
+- [Create a new repo (`git init`)](#create-a-new-repo-git-init)
+- [Get an existing repo (`git clone`)](#get-an-existing-repo-git-clone)
+- [Stage changes for commit (`git add`)](#stage-changes-for-commit-git-add)
+- [Commit changes (`git commit`)](#commit-changes-git-commit)
+- [Push changes to remote (`git push`)](#push-changes-to-remote-git-push)
+- [Get updates (`git pull`)](#get-updates-git-pull)
+- [Check the current status (`git status`, `git diff`, `git diff --cached`)](#check-the-current-status-git-status-git-diff-git-diff---cached)
+
+<!-- END doctoc generated TOC please keep comment here to allow auto update -->
+
+
+## Create a new repo (`git init`)
+
+`git init` creates a new repository from a directory.
+For more details, see [initializing a repository in directory](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Basics-Getting-a-Git-Repository#Initializing-a-Repository-in-an-Existing-Directory).
+
+
+## Get an existing repo (`git clone`)
+
+`git clone` makes a local copy of someone else's repository.
+The other repository can be hosted anywhere - on Github, Gitlab, or someone else's computer.
+For more details see [cloning an existing repository](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Basics-Getting-a-Git-Repository#Cloning-an-Existing-Repository).
+
+
+## Stage changes for commit (`git add`)
+
+`git add` will tell git to track changes to a file.
+Adding a file also stages the changes made to that file for committing.
+The changes are not actually saved until `git commit` is run.
+For more details, see [tracking new files](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Basics-Recording-Changes-to-the-Repository#Tracking-New-Files).
+
+
+## Commit changes (`git commit`)
+
+`git commit` saves the staged changes to git.
+A commit stores the name & email of the person who wrote it, the date the change was made, its parent, and the changes themselves.
+For more details, see [committing your changes](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Basics-Recording-Changes-to-the-Repository#Committing-Your-Changes).
+
+
+## Push changes to remote (`git push`)
+
+`git push` sends all commits to someone else's repository.
+If you used `git clone`, by default they are sent to `origin`, which is the repository you cloned from.
+For more details, see [pushing to your remote](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Basics-Working-with-Remotes#Pushing-to-Your-Remotes).
+
+
+## Get updates (`git pull`)
+
+`git pull` updates your local copy with changes from someone else's repository.
+If you used `git clone`, by default the changes are fetched from `origin`, which is the repository you cloned from.
+For more details, see [pulling from your remote](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Basics-Working-with-Remotes#Fetching-and-Pulling-from-Your-Remotes).
+
+
+## Check the current status (`git status`, `git diff`, `git diff --cached`)
+
+`git status` shows what git currently knows about the files in the repository.
+It show what files git is tracking, what files have had changes, and what files have changes staged for commit.
+`git status` only shows the names of files.
+For more details, see [checking the status of your files](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Basics-Recording-Changes-to-the-Repository#Checking-the-Status-of-Your-Files).
+
+`git diff` shows changes in file that git tracks that haven't been staged for comit.
+`git diff --cached` (also known as `git diff --staged`) shows changes to files that have been staged for commit.
+Both commands show the actual changes that happened in a file.
+For more details, see [viewing your changes](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Basics-Recording-Changes-to-the-Repository#Viewing-Your-Staged-and-Unstaged-Changes).