Top 20 Git Interview Questions and Answers for 2025

Introduction

Are you preparing for a Git interview and want to ace it with confidence? You’re in the right place! Git is not just the most popular version control system; it’s a must-have skill for anyone pursuing a career in development. As companies increasingly rely on Git for their development workflows, showcasing your expertise during an interview can give you a significant edge.

Git is a distributed version control system that allows you to work efficiently, whether you’re online, offline, or collaborating with a team. Unlike centralized systems, Git lets you commit changes locally and sync them with the server later, offering flexibility and independence. Its seamless integration with major operating systems and development environments has made it an essential tool for developers worldwide.

If you’re wondering what is Git or need to brush up on its key concepts, we’ve got you covered. Understanding its core functionality and real-world applications is crucial for demonstrating your expertise in an interview setting.

To help you succeed, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of the most common Git interview questions along with their best possible answers. These questions are designed to prepare you for the technical aspects of the interview and help you confidently showcase your skills.

Let’s get started on your journey to mastering Git and acing that interview!

Git Interview Questions and Answers

If you're preparing for a Git interview, whether you're a fresher stepping into the tech industry or an experienced professional looking to showcase your expertise, this blog is here to help. We’ve curated a list of the most commonly asked Git interview questions along with their best possible answers. These questions are designed to cater to professionals at all levels, ensuring you have the knowledge and confidence to ace your interview and stand out from the competition.

• Git Interview Questions and Answers for Freshers
• Git interview questions and answers for Experienced

Git Interview Questions and Answers for Freshers

Q1) What do you understand by the term Git?

Git is a distributed version control system (DVCS) and a source code management (SCM) tool. It is designed to handle projects of all sizes, ranging from small-scale to large-scale, with exceptional speed and efficiency. Git provides developers with a robust framework to track changes, collaborate, and manage code across various development environments.

Q2) Explain a Git repository.

A Git repository is a storage location for a project where Git tracks and manages the code. It includes a hidden directory, named .git, which stores all the metadata and configuration details related to the version control system. This .git directory contains data that is essential to Git and is not intended to be modified by users directly.

Q3) What is the main difference between Git and SVN?

The key distinction between Git and SVN lies in their version control architecture. Git operates as a distributed version control system (DVCS), where each user has a complete copy of the repository, enabling offline work. In contrast, SVN is a centralized version control system (CVCS), requiring a central server for most version control tasks, which limits offline functionality.

Q4) What do you mean by Git fork?

A Git fork refers to creating a copy of an existing Git repository. Forking allows developers to experiment with changes independently without affecting the original repository. This feature is particularly useful for testing new features, fixing bugs, or implementing major updates without impacting the main project.

Q5) What do you understand by the term cherry-pick in Git?

Cherry-picking in Git is the process of selecting a specific commit from one branch and applying it to another branch. Unlike merging or rebasing, which typically involve multiple commits, cherry-picking allows developers to isolate and transfer specific changes between branches.

Q6) What is the function of the clone command in Git?

The clone command in Git creates an exact copy of an existing repository. Cloning is the most common way developers obtain a copy of a remote repository for local development. It replicates the repository, including its history, branches, and tags, onto the user's local system.

Q7) What is the concept of ‘head’ in Git, and how many heads can be created in a repository?

In Git, the term ‘head’ refers to a pointer or reference to a commit object. The default head in a Git repository is typically called "master" (or "main" in newer repositories). A repository can contain multiple heads, as users can create as many branches as needed, each representing a different head.

Q8) What are some examples of Git repository hosting services?

Popular Git repository hosting services include GitHub, Bitbucket, and GitLab. These platforms provide additional features like issue tracking, collaboration tools, and CI/CD pipelines, making them widely used by developers.

Q9) What is the main function of the ‘Git reset’ command?

The primary function of the git reset command is to reset the index and working directory to the state of the last commit. It can also be used to undo changes, unstage files, or adjust the state of a branch to a specific commit, depending on the options used.

Q10) What is a ‘conflict’ in Git?

A conflict in Git occurs when two or more commits modify the same part of a file in different ways. This happens during operations like merging, where Git is unable to automatically reconcile the differences. Developers must manually resolve conflicts by editing the affected files and determining which changes to keep.

Git interview questions and answers for Experienced

Q11) What is a ‘bare repository’ in Git?

A bare repository in Git is a repository that contains only the version control data but no working files. Unlike a standard Git repository, a bare repository lacks the working directory and does not contain the special .git subdirectory. Instead, it directly includes the contents of what would typically reside within the .git directory. Bare repositories are commonly used for remote repositories to facilitate collaboration without the need for local file access.

Example:
If you create a bare repository, it will look like this:

git init --bare my-bare-repo.git

Q12) What programming language is Git written in, and why?

Git is written in the C programming language. The use of C ensures that Git operates with exceptional speed and efficiency by reducing the runtime overhead often associated with higher-level programming languages. This choice allows Git to handle large-scale projects and operations with outstanding performance.

Example:
When you execute a Git command like git log, the speed at which the commit history is retrieved and displayed is a testament to the efficiency of the underlying C code.

Q13) What is the main difference between git pull and git fetch?

The git pull command fetches new commits from a specific branch of a remote repository and integrates them into the current branch of the local repository. On the other hand, the git fetch command retrieves all new commits from a remote branch but stores them in a separate branch within the local repository. Unlike git pull, git fetch does not automatically merge the changes.

Example: 

# Fetch changes but do not merge
git fetch origin main

# Pull changes and merge automatically
git pull origin main

Using git fetch allows you to review changes before integrating them, while git pull directly applies the updates to your local branch.

Q14) How can you revert a commit that has already been pushed and made public?

To revert a commit that has been pushed and made public, you can use the git revert command. This command creates a new commit that undoes the changes introduced by the specific commit. By generating a reverse patch, git revert ensures that the original commit remains in the history while effectively canceling its impact.

Example:
If you want to revert the commit with hash abc123:

git revert abc123

Q15) What is SubGit?

SubGit is a tool designed to facilitate the migration from SVN to Git. It creates a writable Git mirror of a local or remote Subversion repository. SubGit allows developers to work seamlessly with both Subversion and Git simultaneously, offering flexibility during the migration process.

Q16) What are the key objectives of Git design?

The primary objectives of Git design include:

• Distributed Workflow: Enabling decentralized collaboration.
• Easy Merging: Simplifying the process of integrating changes.
• Integrity: Ensuring the accuracy and reliability of version control data.
• Speed & Scalability: Optimizing performance for projects of any size.

Q17) What are the benefits of using Git?

Some of the key benefits of using Git are:

• Flexible Workflow: Supports diverse development workflows.
• Fast Performance: Handles operations like commits and merges quickly.
• Data Integrity: Protects against corruption and ensures reliable tracking.
• Free Collaboration: Enables teams to collaborate seamlessly without additional cost.

Q18) What is the feature branching strategy in Git?

The feature branching strategy involves creating a separate branch to work on a specific feature. All changes related to the feature are made within this branch. Once the feature is complete and has passed all tests, it is merged into the main branch (often called the master or main branch). This strategy ensures that the main branch remains stable.

Q19) What is the task branching strategy in Git?

The task branching strategy involves creating a unique branch for each task, with the task key included in the branch name. This approach makes it easy to track which branch corresponds to which task, streamlining the development process and enhancing traceability.

Q20) What is Git rebase?

Git rebase is a command used to move or combine commits from one branch onto another. It shifts the commits from the current branch to the top of the target branch’s history, effectively rewriting the commit history to create a linear sequence of changes. Rebase is commonly used to clean up the history before merging branches.

Conclusion

Mastering Git is a valuable skill for both freshers and experienced professionals aiming to excel in the software development field. Understanding key concepts, commands, and strategies like branching, merging, and version control helps developers manage projects efficiently, collaborate effectively, and ensure code integrity.

Whether you're preparing for an interview or simply honing your Git expertise, exploring questions like "What is Git?" or "How does Git rebase work?" can solidify your understanding. With consistent practice and a clear grasp of the core principles, you’ll be well-prepared to tackle Git-related challenges in your career.

Start applying these concepts today, and let Git become your go-to tool for seamless version control and collaboration!