What is Git?

In a nutshell, it's like a game save function. It provides functions to proceed with development comfortably so that you don't have to start over from the beginning if you fail.

  • Commit

    • It is a function like a "save point" in an action game.
    • If you save (commit) at a timing you like, even if the program breaks in the work ahead, you can rewind time to that place where it was definitely working and start over.

  • Branch

    • It is a function to create a "branch route" or "parallel world" of the game.
    • You can safely try new functions in the copied world (branch) without affecting the main file.
    • Unlike games, you can integrate (merge) only the changes (diffs) that went well in the branch into the main world later.

What is GitHub?

It is a "huge warehouse (cloud storage)" to put data saved with Git.

Developers around the world upload and publish their programs (such as ComfyUI custom nodes) here. Generally, the act of "installing a custom node" refers to "copying files from this warehouse called GitHub to your PC".

Also, GitHub has an aspect like SNS. It is also a place for developers and users to communicate by reporting bugs (Issue) or requesting new features.

Commands you should remember at minimum

  • git clone

    • Basically, it is okay to understand it as "a function to download the program on GitHub entirely to your PC".
    • However, unlike simply downloading a Zip file, it is important to bring a copy to hand while maintaining the connection with the repository. Thanks to this "connection", the next pull becomes possible.

  • git pull

    • Even after git clone, developers continue to improve software and add functions, so the program in your environment gradually becomes old.
    • When you execute git pull, it compares the latest state on GitHub with the contents of your PC and downloads and updates only the changed parts.
    • You can think of it as a substantial "update" command.

The True Identity of ComfyUI Manager

The frequently used ComfyUI Manager is a tool that automatically acts as an agent for this git clone and git pull in the background.

  • Install: git clone is running in the background.
    • (At the same time, it also performs pip install etc. and prepares necessary libraries)
  • Update: git pull is running in the background.