If you work with Git and also enjoy working with Emacs , the following application might be of interest to you. The application we'll be discussing today is called Magit, a Git interface for Emacs that emphasizes workflow optimization.
Commands are invoked using short , mnemonic keystrokes that take into account the cursor position in the highly actionable interface to provide context-sensitive behavior. Magit is a complete text-based user interface for Git. It bridges the gap between Git's command-line interface and various GUIs, allowing you to perform both trivial and complex version control tasks with just a few keystrokes.
Magit looks like an enhanced version of what you get after running a few Git commands , but in Magit, every visible bit of information is also processable to a degree that goes far beyond what any Git GUI provides. And it automatically updates this output when it becomes outdated. In the background, Magit simply executes Git commands, and if the user wants to see what's running, Magit makes learning the Git command line much easier.
Magit supports and streamlines the use of Git features that most users and developers of other Git clients seemingly couldn't reasonably represent in a non-command-line interface. Magit is faster and more intuitive than the command line or any GUI, and that applies to both beginners and experts.
Most potential users are unaware of Magit. Others may be aware of its existence, but would not consider trying it because it is implemented as an extension of the Emacs text editor.
Jonas Bernoulli says he wants to change this perception of Magit.
“ This is something I plan to change over the next year, as I believe Magit can be a great Git interface even for users of other editors and IDEs. I have a feeling that many Git users want, or at least would appreciate, something like Magit.”
Magit's learning curve is relatively flat, as long as one is already familiar with Emacs and Git. Without prior knowledge of Emacs, the curve is a bit steeper.
However, aside from the fact that Magit doesn't seem very impressive at first glance, the main factor preventing potential users from trying it is the learning curve (real or perceived) (and unfortunately also the reputation) of Emacs. Emacs users, of course, think this barrier is worth crossing, but it won't help or convince anyone who intends to stick with their current editor or IDE and just wants to try Magit.
About Magit 3.0
Of the new features in this version, the main change is to the completely redesigned menus used to select arguments and invoke suffix commands. Magit now uses the Transient package to implement these menus.
Magit-Section is now distributed independently of Magit, allowing unrelated packages to use it to implement Magit-like buffers. Unlike Transient, it is still maintained in the Magit repository; however, it now comes with its own manual.
Likewise, Magit no longer assumes that the main branch is called master. Without any user configuration, Magit tests main, master, trunk and development in that order and uses the first one that exists in the current repository as the main branch.
Magit differs considerably from other Git interfaces, and its benefits are not immediately apparent from a few screenshots. “Unfortunately, most potential users don't even know about Magit. Others may be aware of its existence, but would not consider trying it because it is implemented as an extension of the Emacs text editor, and that is not what they use.
Finally, if you are interested in learning more, you can find the details at the following link.