Learning about Source Control
Source control, also known as version control, is a system that tracks changes to files, directories, and projects over time. It helps manage and organize changes in a collaborative and efficient manner, ensuring that teams can work together effectively on code and other project artifacts.
Key Concepts of Source Control
Version Control: Tracks changes to files, allowing users to view and revert to previous versions if needed.
Collaboration: Facilitates teamwork by allowing multiple contributors to work on the same codebase without interfering with each other's changes.
Repositories: Stores the source code and its history in a central or distributed system. Examples include Git, Subversion (SVN), and Mercurial.
Branches: Allows parallel development work, such as creating separate branches for features, bug fixes, or experiments.
Merging and Pull Requests: Combines changes from different branches, ensuring that everyone’s work integrates smoothly into the main codebase.
Types of Source Control Systems
Centralized Version Control System (CVCS):
Central repository stores the entire history of the codebase.
Example: Subversion (SVN).
Distributed Version Control System (DVCS):
Every developer has a complete copy of the repository locally, making it easier to work offline and collaborate.
Example: Git.
Benefits of Source Control
History Tracking: Keeps a detailed history of changes made to code, making it easy to review or revert.
Collaboration: Enables multiple developers to work together efficiently and independently.
Consistency: Ensures that changes are consistent across different branches and environments.
Automation: Facilitates automation of workflows, such as Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD).
Example: Git Source Control
Git is one of the most widely used distributed source control systems.
It allows users to clone repositories, commit changes locally, push updates, and pull the latest changes from the remote repository.
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