Introduction: Version control is a system that records changes to a file or set of files over time so that you can recall specific versions later. It allows multiple people to collaborate on a project without overwriting each other’s work and helps keep track of the history of changes.
Why Version Control?
- Collaboration: Multiple developers can work on the same project simultaneously.
- Backup and Restore: Easily revert files to a previous state.
- Tracking Changes: See what was changed, who changed it, and when.
- Branching and Merging: Create branches to work on new features or bug fixes separately from the main codebase.
Types of Version Control Systems:
- Local Version Control Systems: Simple databases that keep all changes to files on your local hard drive.
- Centralized Version Control Systems (CVCS): Use a single server to store all changes and file versions (e.g., SVN).
- Distributed Version Control Systems (DVCS): Clients fully mirror the repository, including its full history (e.g., Git).
Key Terminologies:
- Repository (Repo): A directory where your version-controlled files are stored.
- Commit: A snapshot of your repository at a specific point in time.
- Branch: A separate line of development.
- Merge: Combining changes from different branches.
Conclusion: Version control is an essential tool for any developer, making it easier to collaborate, track changes, and manage projects efficiently. In the next lesson, we’ll dive deeper into Git, one of the most popular version control systems.
