How to Manage Your WordPress Project with Git Repository

Why Use Git for WordPress Projects?

1. Reliable Version History: Git tracks every modification, allowing you to roll back to a stable point whenever something goes wrong.
2. Collaborative Development: Git enables several developers to work on the same project at once while keeping everyone’s changes separate and conflict-free.
3. Secure Code Storage: Your project files are stored in a remote repository, ensuring their security even if your local system fails.
4. Clear Change Tracking: You can easily identify who made a change, when it was done, and the reason behind it.
5. Streamlined Deployment: Updates can be pushed directly to staging or live servers, resulting in a faster and more reliable release process.

Setting Up Git for WordPress

Step: 1. Install Git Locally

• Download and install Git on your computer. If you’re using Linux or macOS, Git is often pre-installed. Windows users can grab it from git-scm.com

Step: 2. Initialize a Repository

• Navigate to your WordPress project directory and run the following command :

git init

• Using the above command, it creates a new Git repository in your project folder.

Step : 3. Add WordPress Files

You can add all files with : 

• git add.
• git commit -m “Initial commit for WordPress project”

Step: 4. Create a .gitignore File

• Not all WordPress files should be tracked. 
• For example, wp-config.php (with sensitive credentials), node_modules, and /wp-content/uploads/ should usually be excluded. 
• A sample .gitignore might include : 

/wp-content/uploads/

/wp-config.php

/node_modules/

/vendor/

Step: 5. Link Your Project to your Remote Repository : 

• Set up a new repository on a hosting platform such as GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket, and then connect it with your local project to sync code between team members.

Working with Branches in WordPress Development : 

Branches allow you to test new features or fix bugs without affecting your main codebase. For example:

• git checkout -b feature/custom-header

From the above command,

1. Creates a new branch called feature/custom-header.

• When you add the -b option to the git checkout command, Git not only switches branches but also creates a brand-new branch in one step.

2. Switch you into that branch immediately.

• Without -b, you’d just move (checkout) into an existing branch. With -b, Git creates it and checks it out in one step.

Example scenario:

• You’re on the main branch.
• You want to add a new feature (say, a custom header for your WordPress theme).
• Instead of editing main, you run:
  • git checkout -b feature/custom-header
• Now you’re working in a new branch called feature/custom-header.
• You can safely make changes, commit them, and later merge the branch back into main once tested.

By following the above steps, you can build and test the feature in isolation, then merge it back into the main branch when ready:

• git checkout main
• git merge feature/custom-header

Using Git with WordPress Hosting :

Many modern hosting providers like Kinsta, WP Engine, SiteGround, and Cloudways offer Git integration. This means you can push updates directly from your Git repo to your server. Benefits include:

• Faster deployments
• Easy rollback if something breaks
• Seamless team collaboration
• If your host doesn’t support Git, you can still deploy using tools like Git FTP, Capistrano, or GitHub Actions.