My Code Disappeared After Switching Branches — Here’s What Actually Happened

 Yesterday I panicked.

I switched from a feature branch back to main in Git…

…and my fix was gone.

The file didn’t show the changes.
The bug fix disappeared.
I thought I lost my work.

If this has ever happened to you — relax.

Your code probably isn’t lost.

---

😰 What Actually Happened?

I had:

• Created a branch: feature-x

• Fixed a bug

• Committed the fix

• Switched back to main

When I checked the file in main, the fix wasn’t there.

Why?

Because Git branches are independent timelines.

My fix existed.
Just not in main.

---

🧠 The Important Concept

Think of branches like parallel universes.

When you commit inside feature-x, that commit belongs to that branch.

Switching to main doesn’t magically bring those commits with you.

You must merge them.

---

✅ How I Fixed It

I ran:

git checkout main
git merge feature-x

Boom.

The changes appeared.

Then I pushed to GitHub:

git push origin main

Problem solved.

---

🔎 How To Debug If This Happens To You

Here are the commands that save you:

1️⃣ Check where you are

git branch

2️⃣ See commits across branches

git log --all --oneline --graph

3️⃣ Compare branches

git log main..feature-x

4️⃣ Recover “lost” commits

git reflog

Nothing is usually lost.
It’s just on another branch.

---

🚀 Lesson for Developers

Before panicking:

1. Check your branch

2. Check your commits

3. Understand Git timelines

4. Merge properly

5. Push if needed

Git rarely deletes your work.
It just organizes it.

---

💡 Final Thought

The biggest Git mistake is not a wrong command.

It’s not understanding branches.

Once you understand that each branch is a separate history —
Git becomes predictable.

And panic disappears.

how to check apache server and php installed or not on mac

 macOS comes with Apache pre-installed, though it may not be enabled by default. You can check its installation and status using the Terminal with the following commands: 

• Check the Apache version: Running the apachectl -v command will display the installed Apache version and build date, which confirms the software is present.
  bash

  apachectl -v
  

• Check if the Apache service is running: Use sudo apachectl status to see the current status of the Apache service. You can also use the ps aux | grep httpd command to list all running processes related to Apache's executable (httpd).
  bash

  sudo apachectl status
  # or
  ps aux | grep httpd
  

• Verify the installation via web browser: If the service is running, open a web browser and navigate to http://localhost. If you see the message "It works!", then Apache is installed and serving web pages correctly.
• Locate the Apache binary: The which command can show the location of the Apache executable in your system's PATH, which is typically /usr/sbin/httpd for the default macOS installation.
  bash

  which httpd
  # or
  whereis httpd
  

   

If these commands do not work, Apache may not be correctly configured or installed on your system. In such cases, you might consider installing it via a package manager like Homebrew. 

To run an Apache and PHP server on a Mac, you can use the built-in server (in older macOS versions), install a fresh version using Homebrew, or use a pre-packaged solution like MAMP. 

Method 1: Using the Built-in Apache (Older macOS)

Older versions of macOS came with Apache pre-installed, though it required manual activation and PHP was removed from the default installation in macOS Monterey. 

• Start Apache: Open the Terminal app (search in Spotlight) and run:
  bash

  sudo apachectl start
  

  You will be prompted for your system password.
• Verify Apache: Open a web browser and navigate to http://localhost/. You should see the message "It works!".
• Enable PHP: If your macOS version has a built-in PHP module, you would typically edit the Apache configuration file using a text editor like nano:
  bash

  sudo nano /etc/apache2/httpd.conf
  

  Inside the editor, find the line that loads the PHP module (e.g., #LoadModule php7_module ... or #LoadModule php_module ...) and remove the # character from the beginning to uncomment it. Save the file (Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter) and restart Apache:
  bash

  sudo apachectl restart
  

   

Method 2: Using Homebrew (Recommended for Modern macOS)

For the latest macOS versions, installing Apache and PHP via Homebrew is recommended as it provides more control over versions and avoids conflicts with system updates. 

1. Install Homebrew: Follow the instructions on the official Homebrew website to install it.
2. Install Apache and PHP: In the terminal, run:
   bash

   brew install httpd php
   

   This installs both the Apache server (httpd) and the latest stable PHP version.
3. Configure and Start: Follow the post-installation instructions provided by Homebrew in the terminal output to configure and start the services. Configuration files are typically located in /opt/homebrew/etc/httpd/ (on Apple Silicon Macs).
4. Verification: Access http://localhost:8080 (or port 80, depending on your configuration) in a browser to verify Apache is running. 

Top 5 Blogposts / patterns of all times on W3LC - A true analysis for from a Technology Blogger

Recently I sat to analyze what has worked well for my blog and what topics were the most helpful based on the number of visits per post. 

Following 5 clearly stood out as the Top 5 patterns of all times.

 

🔥 1. Clear #1 Winner Pattern: “Quick Linux / System Fix”

Topic: Checking File system / Directory size in Linux (df -k, du -sh)

Visitors - 301K visitors

Why it exploded:

• High search intent (“I’m stuck NOW”)
• Very specific command
• Short, practical, copy-paste friendly
• No philosophy, no fluff

👉 This is classic evergreen DevOps traffic

URL: https://www.w3lc.com/2013/05/checking-file-system-directory-size-in.html

🔥 2. Windows + Enterprise IT Pain

Topic: RDP full screen MSTSC and Disable RDP wallpaper via Group Policy

 

Visitors -

RDP full screen MSTSC - 81K visitors

Disable RDP wallpaper via Group Policy - 17K visitors

Why these work:

• Corporate IT users
• Windows admins Google exact phrasing
• Very few blogs explain this simply

👉 Enterprise IT problems = loyal Google traffic

URLs: 

https://www.w3lc.com/2014/04/rdp-in-full-screen-mode-remote-desktop.html

https://www.w3lc.com/2012/09/disable-remote-host-desktop-wallpaper.html

🔥 3. Errors & Weird Messages = Hidden Gold

Visitors - 

Error 452 file larger than ulimit - 30K visitors

Git cherry-pick bad object - 16K visitors

Perl XML/Simple.pm @INC - 7K visitors

Why they work:

• Exact error text in title
• User pastes error into Google
• The blog becomes “the savior page”

👉 Error-first titles are the silent traffic engine

URLs: 

https://www.w3lc.com/2011/11/error-452-error-writingfile-larger-than.html

https://www.w3lc.com/2017/03/fatal-bad-object-error-in-git-cherry.html

https://www.w3lc.com/2012/03/cant-locate-xmlsimplepm-inc-inc-in-perl.html

 

⚠️ 4. General Information and novelty of the Blog!

Visitors - 

Definition of Smart Devices – 62K

Why W3LC blog – 25k

Why it was read by people:

• Informational / opinion-based
• Less urgency
• Not a “problem to fix”

👉 These are good for branding, not aimed for traffic spikes. Yet it drew!

URLs:

https://www.w3lc.com/2018/07/definition-of-smart-devices-by-w3lc.html

https://www.w3lc.com/2010/05/why-new-it-discussions.html

LAMP Stack Development on Mac OS

Testing a LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) server on a Mac involves setting up a local development environment that mimics a Linux web server. While Mac runs macOS, you can use built-in tools (Apache/PHP), install packages via Homebrew, or use pre-packaged stacks like MAMP/XAMPP to simulate the environment. 

Here is a guide to setting up and testing a LAMP environment on a Mac:

1. The Easiest Way: Using MAMP or XAMPP 

For quick testing without command-line configuration, MAMP or XAMPP are recommended. 

• MAMP: Download, drag to Applications, and click "Start Servers". It provides a control panel to manage Apache and MySQL.
• XAMPP: Similar to MAMP, install the macOS version, open the manager, and ensure both Apache and MySQL are running.
• Testing: Place your PHP files in the htdocs folder (for XAMPP) or htdocs within the MAMP folder, then access them via http://localhost/yourfile.php. 

2. The Native Way: Using Built-in Apache + Homebrew

macOS comes with Apache, but you will need to install MySQL and ensure PHP is configured. 

• Start Apache: Open Terminal and type: sudo apachectl start. Verify by navigating to http://localhost in a browser, which should show "It works!".
• Install/Upgrade PHP & MySQL: Use Homebrew to install the latest versions: brew install php and brew install mysql.
• Configure Apache: Edit the Apache configuration file to enable PHP and set the document root (usually /Library/WebServer/Documents or a custom ~/Sites folder).
• Start MySQL: Use brew services start mysql. 

3. Testing the LAMP Stack

To confirm your server is working properly, create a testing file to check PHP and Database connectivity. 

Test PHP Integration:

1. Create a file named info.php in your document root folder (e.g., /Library/WebServer/Documents/ or ~/Sites/).
2. Add the following code:
   php

   <?php phpinfo(); ?>
   

3. Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost/info.php. A page displaying PHP configuration details indicates success. 
4. If you want to add any files or folders you can use this directory. Common Commands to change the access:
5. • Full Access (Recursive): chmod -R 777 foldername (Grants read/write/execute to everyone).
   • Standard Access (Recursive): chmod -R 755 foldername (Owner can edit; others can only read/execute).
   • Specific User (Recursive): sudo chmod -R u+w foldername (Adds write permission for the owner). 

Test MySQL Connectivity:

1. Create a file named dbtest.php in your document root.
2. Add the following code to test the connection (update credentials accordingly):
   php

   <?php
   $conn = new mysqli("localhost", "root", "your_password");
   if ($conn->connect_error) {
       die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error);
   }
   echo "Connected to MySQL database successfully!";
   ?>
   

3. Navigate to http://localhost/dbtest.php. 

4. Important Tips

• Secure MySQL: Run sudo mysql_secure_installation to set up a root password and remove insecure default settings.
• Permissions: If you are using ~/Sites, you may need to adjust folder permissions so Apache can read the files (chmod).
• Alternatives: For more complex, closer-to-production testing, consider using Docker for a containerized LAMP stack. 

After this, i ran into an issue when i actually started executing the code. I was wondering How 

to set password or create new database and users after the default mysql installation.

1. Set or Change the Root Password 

If you installed MySQL via Homebrew, the root user often has no password by default. 

• Secure Installation Method: Run the following command in Terminal and follow the prompts to set a password and remove insecure default settings:
  bash

  mysql_secure_installation
  

  Use code with caution.
• Direct Command Method: If you are already logged in to the MySQL shell, use this command:
  sql

  ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'YourNewPassword';
  FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
  

  Use code with caution.
   

2. Create a New Database

Log in to MySQL using mysql -u root -p. Once inside the MySQL shell, run: 

sql

CREATE DATABASE my_new_database;

Use code with caution.

3. Create a New User and Grant Privileges 

It is safer to use a dedicated user for your applications rather than the root account. 

1. Create the User: This command creates a user that can only connect from your Mac (localhost).
   sql

   CREATE USER 'web_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'SecurePassword123';
   

   Use code with caution.
2. Grant Permissions: Give this user full access to your new database.
   sql

   GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON my_new_database.* TO 'web_user'@'localhost';
   

   Use code with caution.
3. Apply Changes: Always run this to ensure the new permissions take effect immediately.
   sql

   Use code with caution.
    

4. Verify the New User

Exit the shell (exit;) and try logging in with your new credentials: 

bash

mysql -u web_user -p

Use code with caution.

Once logged in, run SHOW DATABASES; to confirm you can see the database you created. 

After this, another logical point where i felt little lost was how to run the first set of mysql instructions. In my case I had a .sql file and i wanted to run that:

To run a SQL file to create tables on your Mac after installing MySQL, you typically use the mysql command-line client via your Terminal application. 

Using the Command-Line Interface (CLI)

This is the most common method:

1. Open Terminal: Launch the Terminal application on your Mac. You can find it using Spotlight search (Cmd + Space) or in Applications > Utilities.
2. Navigate (Optional but Recommended): Use the cd (change directory) command in Terminal to navigate to the folder where your .sql file is located. This makes typing the file path easier. For example:
   bash

   cd ~/Documents/MySQL_Projects
   

3. Execute the SQL file: Use the mysql command with the following syntax:
   bash

   mysql -u [username] -p [database_name] < [file_name].sql
   

   • [username]: Replace with your MySQL username (often root by default).
   • [database_name]: Replace with the name of the database where you want the tables to be created. This database must already exist.
   • [file_name].sql: Replace with the actual name of your SQL file.
4. Enter Password: After running the command, you will be prompted to enter the password for the specified user. Type it in (characters won't appear on the screen for security) and press Enter. 

The SQL commands within the file will then execute sequentially to create your tables and database structures. 

Alternative Method: Using the MySQL Client Interactively

1. Log into MySQL: In Terminal, enter the MySQL shell first:
   bash

   mysql -u [username] -p
   

   Enter your password when prompted.
2. Select a Database: Once you are in the mysql> prompt, select the target database:
   sql

   USE [database_name];
   

3. Source the SQL file: Use the SOURCE command to run the file:
   sql

   SOURCE /path/to/your/file.sql;
   

   (Replace /path/to/your/file.sql with the absolute path to your SQL file).
4. Exit: Type exit; and press Enter to leave the MySQL shell. 

Troubleshooting

• "command not found" error: If your Mac doesn't recognize the mysql command, you need to add the MySQL installation directory to your system's PATH variable.
• Database doesn't exist: The database you specify in the command must exist. If not, log into MySQL first and use CREATE DATABASE [database_name]; to create it manually.