glossary
Every scary word, in plain English.
Building with AI keeps bumping you into git and developer jargon: commit, push, branch, the terminal. Here is what each one actually means, in plain words, and how Kaeru handles it so you do not have to.
The basics
- GitGit is the system that remembers every version of your project, so you can go back to any point in time.
- Version controlVersion control is keeping a full, reversible history of your work so you can undo, compare, and never lose a good version.
- TerminalThe terminal is a text window where you type commands to your computer instead of clicking buttons.
- RepositoryA repository (repo) is the folder that holds your project plus its entire version history.
- GitHubGitHub is a website that stores your project's repository online, so it is backed up and shareable.
Saving your work
- CommitA commit is one saved snapshot of your project at a moment in time, with a short note on what changed.
- PushPushing sends your saved commits from your computer up to the online copy, like GitHub.
- PullPulling brings the latest changes from the online copy down to your computer.
- UpstreamUpstream is the online branch your local branch is linked to, so push and pull know where to send and fetch your work.
- Staging areaThe staging area is a holding tray where you pick which changes go into your next commit.
Trying things safely
- BranchA branch is a separate line of work where you can try changes without touching the main version.
- StashStashing tucks your half-finished changes aside so you can come back to them later, clean.
- RevertReverting rolls your project back to an earlier saved version when something goes wrong.
- DiffA diff shows exactly what changed between two versions, line by line.
Working with others
- CloneCloning copies an online project onto your computer so you can run and edit it.
- Pull requestA pull request is a proposal to add your changes into the main project, so they can be reviewed first.
- Merge conflictA merge conflict happens when two changes touch the same lines and git needs you to choose which one wins.
- RemoteA remote is the online copy of your project that your computer syncs to; the default one is called origin.
Setup and secrets
- .gitignoreA .gitignore file tells git which files to leave out of your project's history, like secrets and clutter.
- API keyAn API key is a secret password that lets one service talk to another on your behalf; keep it private.
- DeployDeploying is publishing your project so it is live on the internet for other people to use.
Kaeru does the git part for you.
You should not need a glossary to build. Kaeru turns all of this into plain words and one-click actions.
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