Creating Versions

Once you have a Git repository set up, you can start creating versions of your project. Light Table is specialized for creating new versions of font source files, but it also has basic support for other file types.

To create a new version, first open the Repository window using one of the following methods:

Choose File → Light Table → Show Repository from the menu (⌃⌘R).
Click the Repository window button in the Light Table palette.
Click the plus button in the Light Table palette.

The last option of clicking the plus button also switches the Repository window to the glyph that you have currently selected or that you are currently working on.

The Repository window is divided into three areas:

In the top left corner is the editor with text fields to describe the next version and buttons below to stage all files and create a new version.
Below the editor is the file list displaying all files that have changed since the latest version.
On the right side is the diff: the list of differences of the selected file.

Before a version can be created, you must first stage some or all changes and write a summary of the changes.

Staging Files

You “stage” changes so that they are included in the next version. Next to each file is a checkbox and one or two status icons. Modified files are indicated with a dot , new files show a plus sign , and deleted files show a minus sign .

If the file is not staged, then the checkbox is unchecked, and one status icon is shown on the right side.
If the file is staged, then the checkbox is checked, and one status icon is shown on the left side.
If the file is partially staged (not all changes of the file are staged), then the checkbox is half-checked and two status icons are shown.

Click the checkbox to stage or unstage a file. To stage all files to be included in the next version, use the Stage All button above the file list.

Staging Glyphs

You can also stage only some parts of a file. This is useful when you are working on a glyph and only want to commit the changes to a layer, a path, or any other part of the glyph.

Click on the glyph in the file list. All current changes of the glyph appear on the right side of the window. Stage individual changes using the checkbox on the left side of each row.

Writing Descriptions

The description is split into a summary and a more detailed description.

This summary should be written like the subject of an email: short and to the point. When you later scroll through a list of your versions, you will see these summaries. The summary is especially helpful when you are working with others on a project, as it allows your colleagues to quickly understand what’s changed.

Below the summary, you can optionally write a longer description of the changes. This description is not shown in the list of versions, but when viewing the details of a version. (Viewing version details is not yet supported in Light Table.)

Committing the Staged Changes

Once you have staged some or all changes and written a summary, click the Create Version button. Light Table will create a new version of your project. This version is now the latest version of your project.

Note that this new version might not show up in the list of versions in the Light Table palette. This is because the palette only lists versions directly related to the current file. For example, if you create a version where you only staged other files in your project, like a Python script placed next to the Glyphs file, then this version will not show up in the palette.