2.3 Working With Git

Course: Claude Code - Essentials Section: Core Workflows Video Length: 2-5 minutes Presenter: Daniel Treasure

Opening Hook

You've made changes to your code. Now it's time to save them to Git so your team can see what you did. Claude Code makes Git workflows conversational—you can ask Claude to commit, create branches, and even draft pull requests. This video shows the essentials: commits, branches, and PRs.

Key Talking Points

Committing Your Changes
Ask Claude: "commit my changes with a descriptive message"
Claude analyzes the actual code changes and writes a meaningful commit message
No guessing what to write; Claude explains what changed and why
Show on screen: Make a few edits, then ask Claude to commit. Show the auto-generated message.
Branches Keep Work Organized
Create a branch for a feature or bugfix: "create a branch called feature/user-auth"
Claude handles the Git commands; you just describe what you're doing
Keeps main branch stable while you work
Show: Create a new branch and verify it's active
Creating Pull Requests
After committing on a branch, ask: "create a pull request for this feature"
Claude generates a description based on your actual code changes
PRs let teammates review before merging
Show: Create a PR and highlight the auto-generated description
Understanding What Changed
Ask: "what files have I changed?" or "summarize my changes"
Claude shows you the diff between your branch and main
Useful for understanding scope before committing
Show: Ask what changed, review the summary
Git Workflows Without Commands
No need to type git commit -m or git checkout -b
Just ask Claude in natural language
Claude handles the Git CLI under the hood
Show: Emphasize conversational workflow vs. command line

Demo Plan

Demo Project: Continue with the same project from 2.1-2.2

Setup: - Have a few code changes staged (use changes from 2.2, or make new ones) - Ensure Git is initialized in the project (git init should be done) - Open terminal with Claude Code session

On-Camera Sequence (2-3 minutes):

Check Current Status What files have I changed?
Claude shows the diff and lists modified files
~20 seconds
Create a Feature Branch Create a new branch called feature/add-logging
Claude creates the branch and switches to it
Show terminal confirming the branch is active
~20 seconds
Make Changes (if needed)
If time permits, add a small feature or fix (e.g., "add a console.log to the main function")
Approve Claude's changes
~30 seconds (optional, can skip if pressed for time)
Commit with Auto-Generated Message Commit my changes with a descriptive message
Claude analyzes the changes and writes a commit message
Show the message before final confirmation
Approve and see the commit appear in the log
~30 seconds
Create a Pull Request Create a pull request for this feature
Claude drafts the PR description
Show the title and description (based on commit and code changes)
Explain: this would open a PR on GitHub (if connected)
~30 seconds
(Optional) View Commit History Show me the last 3 commits
Claude displays recent commits
Confirms your new commit is there
~15 seconds

Code Examples & Commands

Ask Claude for Git operations:

What files have I changed?
Commit my changes with a descriptive message
Create a new branch called feature/user-profiles
Switch to the main branch
Create a pull request for this feature
Show me the last 5 commits
What's the diff between my branch and main?
Help me resolve merge conflicts
Summarize the changes I've made

Git fundamentals (for reference, but Claude handles these):

git status                    # Check changes
git add .                     # Stage changes
git commit -m "message"       # Commit
git checkout -b branch-name   # Create branch
git push origin branch-name   # Push to remote

Gotchas & Tips

Commit Messages Matter – Claude's auto-generated messages are based on actual code changes. If the message doesn't fit, ask Claude to revise it before confirming.
Branches Require a Remote – To create PRs, you need a Git remote (GitHub, GitLab, etc.) configured. If not set up, Claude will note this.
Merge Conflicts Can Happen – If your branch conflicts with main, Claude can help analyze and resolve them. This is advanced (covered in troubleshooting if needed).
Commit Early, Often – Smaller, focused commits are easier to review and revert if needed. Encourage frequent commits.
PRs Are About Communication – Claude's PR description should tell reviewers what changed and why. Review it before opening.
You Can Always Amend – If you forgot to include a file in the last commit, ask Claude to amend it (though best practice is a new commit).

Lead-out

Your changes are now committed and in a PR, ready for team review. But what if something goes wrong? What if there's a bug to fix? That's where debugging comes in. In the next video, we'll show how Claude helps you find and fix bugs using error messages, logs, and strategic testing.

Reference Material

Git Integration Guide: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/git
Common Workflows - Creating PRs: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/common-workflows
Quickstart - Using Git with Claude: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/quickstart

Relevant Articles & Posts

Workflow Guide: Joe Njenga's "17 Best Claude Code Workflows" (Medium) – includes git workflows
Best Practices: Lukasz Fryc's "15 Tips from Running 6 Projects" (DEV Community)
Official Resource: Common Workflows - Claude Code Docs (https://code.claude.com/docs/en/common-workflows)

Additional Notes

Emphasize that Claude handles Git commands; viewers don't need to know git checkout -b syntax
Show real, meaningful commit messages (not generic ones like "fix stuff")
If PR creation fails due to no remote, explain briefly: need GitHub/GitLab configured
Call out: good commit messages help teammates understand your changes
Mention that in later sections, we'll show automation (hooks, MCP) to tie in git workflows

Quick Reference