Ubuntu Git Install 1.7.5 and Why

Ubuntu Git Install 1.7.5 and Why

If you use Git a lot, you probably want to run the latest version. Scroll down for some reasons why.

The standard repository version for Ubuntu is 1.7.1, the current latest is 1.7.5 and there are some significant differences.

How to Upgrade Git

To get 1.7.5 on Ubuntu without too much messing about you can do the following:

1. Set up this PPA:

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CODE:

1. sudo add-apt-repository ppa:pdoes/ppa/ubuntu

2. Now run an aptitude update and upgrade git

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CODE:

1. sudo apt-get update
2. sudo aptitude upgrade git

3. Now check your git version

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CODE:

1. git --version

Full Script for the lazy

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CODE:

1. sudo add-apt-repository ppa:pdoes/ppa/ubuntu && sudo apt-get update && sudo aptitude upgrade && git --version

Why Upgrade Git?

We have been having lots of merge hassles casued purely by white space changes. Apparently with 1.7.4 new recursive merge strategies came into play that should alleviate this pain and make merging a lot less hassle.

Merge Ignore Whitespace

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CODE:

1. git merge -s recursive -Xignore-space-change $BRANCH_NAME

Less hassle equals more productive and happier developers