How to Install Git on Ubuntu

Git is an important tool on Ubuntu for both development and system administration. It tracks changes, enables collaboration, provides offline work, and integrates with online platforms, all while being widely adopted and perfect for package management and learning. The version control system comes when multiple developers contribute to the project. Install Git Ubuntu is the essential step on your development journey.

In this post, we will discuss how to set up Git on the Ubuntu Linux system. Understanding Ubuntu Git is important in a world of collaborative development and project organization.

What is Git?

Git is a free and open-source distributed version control system designed to track changes in any set of files, most commonly used for code. It allows you to record the history of all changes made to a project, revert to previous versions, and collaborate with other developers easily. Here are some key features of Git:

1. Distributed: Unlike traditional version control systems, Git doesn’t rely on a central server to store all the code. Instead, each developer has a complete copy of the repository on their computer.
2. Version control: Git tracks every change made to your files, storing them as snapshots called commits. You can easily see what changed, who made the change, and when it was made.
3. Branching: Git allows you to create temporary copies of your code called branches. This lets you experiment with new features or fix bugs without affecting the main project.
4. Staging: Before committing your changes, you can stage them. This lets you select which changes you want to include in the next commit. You can also unstage changes if you decide you don’t want them after all.
5. Merging: When multiple developers are working on the same project, Git lets you merge their changes.

Installing Git on Ubuntu

Git can be a bit complex to learn at first, but it’s an important tool that can save you a lot of time in the long run. If you’re a developer, learning Git is essential. And even if you’re not a developer, Git can still be useful for tracking changes in any set of files, such as documents or photos. To Git install Ubuntu there are two ways to:

1. APT Package Manager

This method is the easiest and recommended for most users, as it uses the built-in apt package manager to install Git for Ubuntu directly from the official Ubuntu repositories. This ensures compatibility and simplifies the installation process. Before installing any software, it is important to check your package lists are up-to-date. This involves downloading the latest versions and compatibility information. To achieve this, run the following command in your terminal:

sudo apt update

This command fetches the latest information about available packages from the Ubuntu repositories. Below the image describe how the command works:

Installing Git:

Once your package lists are updated, installing Git is a simple process. To setup Git on Ubuntu, simply run the following command:

sudo apt install git

The sudo prefix grants temporary administrative privileges to execute the command, while apt install instructs the package manager to install the specified software. Here screenshot below installation of Git looks like this:

Verifying the Installation:

To confirm Git’s successful installation, run the following command:

git --version

This should display the installed Git version number, indicating a successful installation.

2. Compiling source code:

If users want the latest version of Git or have specific customization requirements. However, it requires manual compilation from the source code and is generally more complex than using apt.

Installing Dependencies:

Before compiling Git, ensure you have the necessary development libraries installed. Run the following command to install these dependencies:

sudo apt install build-essential libssl-dev libcurl4-gnutls-dev libexpat1-dev gettext libz-dev libssl-dev

These libraries provide essential functionalities for building and running Git.

Git source code:

Navigate to the official Git download page and choose the desired version. Download the source code tarball for example filename looks like “git-2.35.3.tar.gz”.

Extracting the Tarball:

Open a terminal in the directory where you downloaded the tarball and extract it using the following command:

tar -xzvf git-2.35.3.tar.gz

This creates a directory containing the Git source code files.

Configuring and Building Git:

Navigate to the extracted directory and run the following commands sequentially:

make configure
./configure --prefix=/usr
make

These commands configure the build process, specifying the installation location /usr and compiling the Git binary.

Installing Git:

To finalize the installation, run the following command:

sudo make install

This installs the compiled Git binary into the system directory, making it accessible globally.

Configure Git on Ubuntu

After installation, it’s recommended to configure your Git username and email address globally using the following commands:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"

These details will be associated with your Git commits in various projects. For upgrading Git by using the apt method, updating to the latest version. Run the following command:

sudo apt upgrade git

This command automatically retrieves and installs any available Git updates.

Why do we need Git?

Here are the key reasons why Git is essential on Ubuntu Linux systems, especially for software development and system administration:

• Git version control: Tracks every change made to files and directories, which allows reverting to previous versions if needed and comparing different versions to identify.
• Git collaboration: Supports creating branches for different features or experimental work which allows for parallel development and testing of different ideas and provides a structured way to merge changes back into the main branch when ready.
• Working offline: Allows you to work on your project even without an internet connection for example commit changes locally and push them to a remote repository later.
• Distributed nature: No single point of failure because of its nature, each developer has a full copy of the repository which prevents data loss.
• Integration: It can connect with popular online platforms like GitHub ( you can browse GitHub Ubuntu operating system, GitLab, and Bitbucket.

Conclusion

Choosing the Git installation method depends on your specific needs and preferences. For most users, the apt method is sufficient and convenient. However, advanced users or those requiring the latest Git version might prefer the manual compilation approach.

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