Coding for Shippers — Reference at the Point of Need

Concepts when you need them

A repository tracks versions. A diff shows changes. Staging selects what enters a commit; a commit records a local version and reason. A branch holds a line of work. A pull request proposes a branch’s changes for review on a host. Local history alone is not an off-device backup. An exit without an error is weaker than evidence that the output is correct.

A worked distinction

Example: a checklist tool prints “success” but omits a row. A test that only checks whether it ran misses the problem. Compare the expected items with the actual output. Inspect status and the diff before committing; keep secrets and unrelated files out.

Return to the work

Use the concept to make a concrete check or decision in your current artifact. If it does not help, return to the task rather than collecting terminology. Ask your assistant to explain an unfamiliar term using your example, then check the explanation against the source or observed behavior.

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