Git
Git is a distributed version control system (DVCS) created by Linus Torvalds in 2005. It allows developers to track changes to source code, maintain complete project history, and collaborate efficiently across teams. Unlike centralized systems, Git gives every developer a full local copy of the repository — including its entire commit history — enabling offline work, fast operations, and improved resilience. Today, Git is the most widely used version control system in modern software development.
Benefits of Git
- Distributed architecture: Every clone contains the full project history, eliminating dependency on a central server and enabling offline development.
- Fast and efficient: Most operations—like branching, merging, logging, and diffing—are performed locally, resulting in near‑instant performance.
- Powerful branching and merging: Git’s lightweight branches support isolated feature development, experimentation, and rapid iteration without affecting the main codebase.
- Reliable history and traceability: Git captures detailed commit metadata, enabling developers to understand what changed, who changed it, and why.
- Collaboration‑friendly: Multiple developers can work concurrently without overwriting each other’s work, thanks to distributed workflows and pull request models.
- Flexible workflows: Supports GitFlow, trunk‑based development, feature branching, and other patterns used in enterprise and open-source projects.
Typical Use Cases
- Source code management for software projects of all sizes, from small personal repositories to enterprise‑scale systems.
- Collaborative development using branches, pull requests, and code reviews via platforms like GitHub, Azure DevOps, and GitLab.
- Experimentation in isolated environments, using branches to test features or ideas without affecting production code.
- Maintaining audit trails, tracking who did what and when — essential for compliance, debugging, and project transparency.
- DevOps and CI/CD workflows, where Git repositories trigger automated builds, tests, and deployments.
- Backup and disaster recovery, as every developer’s local clone is a full copy of the repository’s entire history.
