lession_2_reflections.txt

What happens when you initialize a repository? Why do you need to do it?

when i initialize a repository, i initialize an empty git-repository. This must be done to let git know
what folder should be used as git repositroy.

How is the staging area different from the working directory and the repository? What value do you think it offers?
the staging area contains only selected files. the staging area does not contain any commits.
I think the staging area offers the possibility to select files, which will be used in version-control. So i don't have to commits all files in the working directory.

How can you use the staging area to make sure you have one commit per logical change?
I can choose which files should be in staging area. This gives me the opportunity to skip other changes in other files.

What are some situations when branches would be helpful in keeping your history organized? How would branches help?
Branches are helpfully:
+ to test some features which might cause the program crashing.
+ keep a working solution
+ make backups

How do the diagrams help you visualize the branch structure?
it helps me to verify the branches which are experimental. it also helps me to track the branches in time and merge them later together.

What is the result of merging two branches together? Why do we represent it in the diagram the way we do?
merging two branches will create a new commit. all commits of both branches are combined in one branch. if we present with 
git log --graph --oneline branch1 branch2 
we get a good visual impression, how the branches and the commits inside the branches are created over time.

What are the pros and cons of Git’s automatic merging vs. always doing merges manually?
automatic merge
+ faster
+ shows merge conflicts
- does not know the context of the code
- maybe errors are included through merge

manually merge
+ more flexibility of which code will be taken, and which code will be discarded
- take much more time