git version control

Version Control System (VCS) is a software system that records changes to a file or set of files over time, enabling software developers to work together collaboratively and maintain a complete history of their work.

Git Version Control

Version Control System (VCS) provides features that enable collaborative development and maintain a history of work. Key features include:

Collaboration — simultaneous work by multiple developers and seamless integration of modifications.
Version Control — tracks all changes, enabling rollbacks and maintaining development history.
Conflict Resolution — detects and helps resolve conflicts from simultaneous editing.
Backup and Security — audit trails, access control, and safe backups.
Transparency — shows what changed, who changed it, and when.
Efficiency — speeds project completion and improves communication.

Types of Version Control Systems (VCS)

Manual Version Control (Copying Files)

Common technique — files are frequently copied to new directories, sometimes with timestamps for organization.

Disadvantages

Easily forget the current directory and copy or overwrite the incorrect file, making it error-prone.
Difficult to follow history or revert to earlier iterations when there is no central record of changes.

Local Version Control Systems

Local VCS were designed to overcome drawbacks of manual techniques.

Advantages

Database — maintains a history of file modifications.
Revision control — tracks specific file versions and allows rollbacks when necessary.
One such tool is the widely used Revision Control System (RCS), which records changes as patch sets (differences between files).
Patch sets — saved on disk; by applying patches sequentially, any previous version of a file can be reconstructed.

Disadvantage

Not ideal for collaboration — local systems make it difficult for several developers on separate machines to collaborate on a single project.

Centralized Version Control Systems

Centralized VCS address collaboration issues by storing all project files on a central server. Developer workstations (clients) connect to the server to retrieve files for editing.

Advantages

Improved collaboration — users access the most recent versions and can observe each other's work.
Simple administration — easier to manage and restrict permissions compared to many local configurations.

Disadvantages

Single point of failure — if the main server fails, no one can work together or save changes.
Risk of data loss — without proper backups, the entire project history may be lost if the primary database becomes corrupted.
Comparable risk to local VCS — storing all history in one location risks total loss.

Distributed Version Control Systems

DVCSs distribute the project's history instead of relying on a single server. Each developer has a complete copy (clone) of all files and the entire change history on their local machine.

Advantages

Decentralized backup — every clone acts as a full backup; recovery from server failure is possible by copying any clone back to the server.
Offline work — developers can work without an internet connection using the local copy.
Efficient operations — history viewing and many operations are faster due to local copies.
Multiple remote repositories — supports collaborating with several remotes.