Learning Web Technologies

Purpose

Created as a personal reference during bootcamp to internalize the fundamentals — command line navigation, Git workflows, and the mental model of how files move through the version control lifecycle.

Stack

What I Learned

• The Git staging model (Working > Staging > Git Directory) is a state machine — files transition through Untracked > Tracked > Unmodified > Modified > Staged > Committed
• Understanding the difference between git merge and git rebase early saves countless headaches later — merge preserves history, rebase linearizes it
• The command line is not optional — every GUI is an abstraction over these commands, and when the GUI breaks, you need the fundamentals
• git reset HEAD and git checkout -- are the escape hatches that give you confidence to experiment without fear of losing work
• Bootcamp teaches you the vocabulary. The real learning happens when you use these commands on real projects with real consequences.

Key Insights

• Version control is not just a tool — it is a mindset. The habit of committing small, meaningful changes is the foundation of professional development
• The Working > Staging > Git Directory flow maps directly to the broader task pattern: draft > review > ship. This mental model shows up everywhere in software.
• Learning in public (even in a nearly-empty repo) creates a breadcrumb trail that your future self will thank you for