What is git?
Git is a free, open‑source tool that helps you keep track of changes in files, especially code. Think of it like a super‑smart “undo” button that records every edit, who made it, and when, allowing you to go back to any previous version whenever you need.
Let's break it down
- Repository (repo): A folder that Git watches. It stores all your files and the history of changes.
- Commit: A snapshot of your project at a specific point in time. Each commit has a message describing what changed.
- Branch: A separate line of development. You can work on new features without affecting the main code until you’re ready.
- Merge: Combining changes from one branch into another.
- Remote: A copy of your repo stored on another computer or server (e.g., GitHub, GitLab) so others can collaborate.
Why does it matter?
Git lets you experiment without fear of breaking things, collaborate with many people at once, and keep a clear record of how a project evolved. It also makes it easy to find and fix bugs by looking at past versions.
Where is it used?
- Software development teams building apps, websites, or games.
- Open‑source projects on platforms like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket.
- Companies for internal codebases, documentation, and even configuration files.
- Students and hobbyists for personal projects and learning code.
Good things about it
- Fast and efficient, even with large projects.
- Distributed: every user has a full copy of the history, so you can work offline.
- Strong branching and merging capabilities.
- Wide community support, many tutorials, and integration with many tools.
- Free to use and open source.
Not-so-good things
- Can be confusing for beginners because of many commands and concepts.
- Complex merge conflicts may require manual resolution.
- Large binary files are not handled well without extra tools (e.g., Git LFS).
- Misusing commands (like force‑push) can rewrite history and cause problems for collaborators.