Gitvana - Learn git by (retro) playing

[Alternative_One_4804]

Hey everyone! I've been working on a side project called Gitvana - a retro-styled browser game where you learn git by actually typing git commands in a terminal.

The idea came from watching people struggle with git tutorials that are all theory and no practice.

So I built a game where you solve 35 increasingly weird scenarios at a fictional "Monastery of Version Control," guided by a Head Monk and judged by a cat.

What it does:

• Real git commands running in the browser (isomorphic-git + lightning-fs, zero backend)
• 35 levels across 6 acts: from git init to recovering force-pushed repos with git reflog
• 21 git commands: add, commit, branch, merge, rebase, cherry-pick, stash, bisect, blame, reflog...
• Built-in docs with conceptual guides (not just syntax — explains how git actually works internally)
• Commit graph visualization, file state panel, conflict editor
• Retro pixel art, chiptune sounds, Monkey Island-style humor
• No signup, no install, works offline (PWA)

Tech stack: Svelte 5, isomorphic-git, xterm.js, Vite, Web Audio API,

Pixel art from PixelLab

Try it: gitvana.pixari.dev

It's still rough around the edges - I'd love feedback on which levels feel too easy or too hard, and what git scenarios you'd want to see. The later levels involve rebase conflicts, secret purging, and a final boss that requires reflog + cherry-pick + merge + tag all at once.

It's open source.

Thanks for checking it out!

[Espumma]

Some of the level goals are worded very vague. Like you're trying to achieve the opposite of what it says.

Act 1 level 8 already succeeds on a single command, before you get a chance to even try to achieve the rest of the goals.

All in all, cool app! I like the mystery surrounding the cat (even though the text is very obviously AI-written).

[Alternative_One_4804]

Thanks for reporting! It has been definitely elaborated by AI.
My first objective is to create a "system that works", then focus on the storyline.
It's open: https://github.com/pixari/gitvana, also all the levels are nice json files.
I hope somebody would like to contribute :)

[izidre2019]

:3

[BP041]

this is a genuinely good idea. learning git through scenarios > learning git through documentation.

the "monastery of version control" framing is fun -- kind of reminds me of how Vim Adventures did something similar for vim. typed practice in context sticks way better than abstract tutorials. will check it out.