Refs
Internal pointers that map human-readable names, like branch names or tags, to the underlying complex, cryptographic commit hashes.
What it is
Refs are simple text files stored inside the .git directory containing the hash of a commit. Instead of memorizing a string like 8a5f3c, developers use refs like main or v1.0. Branches, remote tracking branches, and tags are all just different types of refs pointing to specific snapshots in history.
When you would use it
You mostly interact with refs abstractly when using branch names; you rarely manipulate ref files directly unless performing advanced repository recovery.
Common operations
- Managing branch pointers under the hood.
- Recovering lost commits using the reflog.
Related terms
Where this is taught
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