What is Version Control?

A question might come to your mind: What is version control, and why should you learn it?

Understanding Version Control

Version control, also known by different names like revision control, source control, or source code management (SCM), is a system that manages changes made to the source code of software projects.

In other words, it’s a system that helps you control the different versions of your code. As you develop software, version control becomes crucial for keeping track of changes, collaborating with others, and ensuring the stability of your project.

Why Use Version Control?

When we talk about Version Control Systems (VCS) or Source Code Managers (SCM), what exactly do we mean by "managing" or "controlling" source code? What are the responsibilities of these systems? Here are some key points:

• Track Every Modification: A VCS keeps a record of every change made to the code. This allows you to see the evolution of the project, understand what was changed, and when.
• Review Changes Over Time: You can easily review the history of changes, which is essential for debugging, understanding the development process, or conducting code reviews.
• Identify Contributors: Version control allows you to see who wrote a particular feature, who introduced a bug, and when these actions occurred. This helps in both accountability and collaboration.
• Revert to Previous States: If a mistake is made or if a feature introduces a bug, you can revert files or even the entire project back to a previous state, saving time and reducing potential risks.
• Collaborate Effectively: Multiple developers can work on the same project without stepping on each other’s toes. The VCS handles merging changes and resolving conflicts, making teamwork seamless.

Benefits of Version Control for Software Teams

Using a VCS/SCM offers numerous benefits for software engineering teams:

• Manage Changes Over Time: The team can efficiently handle the evolution of the codebase, making it easier to roll back or advance as needed.
• Work Faster and Smarter: With a VCS, teams can streamline their workflows, avoid duplicated effort, and ensure that everyone is working on the most up-to-date code.
• Enhance DevOps Practices: Version control is a cornerstone of DevOps, helping teams to reduce development time and increase the success rate of deployments.
• Facilitate Code Reviews: Team members can easily review each other's code, discuss potential improvements, and ensure that quality standards are met.
• Track History of Every File: A detailed history of every file in the project makes it easy to track changes, understand the project’s evolution, and address issues as they arise.

Types of Version Control Systems

There are several version control systems available today, but the three most popular are:

• Git
• Subversion (SVN)
• Mercurial

These systems can be categorized into two main types based on their approach:

Centralized Systems

In a centralized system, there is a single computer that hosts the source code, often referred to as the "central repository."

Every interaction with the code - whether it’s committing changes, retrieving the latest version, or collaborating with others - must go through this central repository.

While this approach offers simplicity, it also means that if the central server goes down, access to the code can be disrupted.

Distributed Systems

In a distributed system, there is no single central repository. Instead, every developer has a complete copy of the source code, including the entire history of changes.

This approach provides greater flexibility and resilience, as developers can work offline and the failure of any single repository does not impact the entire team.

Git, the version control system we’ll be using in this course, falls into this category.

Why Git?

In this course, we will focus on Git, a distributed version control system that has become the standard for modern software development.

Git’s flexibility, speed, and powerful branching and merging capabilities make it an ideal choice for both individual developers and teams of all sizes.