Introduction to Version Control
Published: 2022-09-06 06:53:42

Introduction to Version Control
What is Version Control?
Developers can continuously add to or change the project's codebase while it is under development. Version control attempts to prevent the purposeful or unintentional loss of the source code. Software developers have had access to excellent management and organization tools for their source code for many years, thanks to the open-source community. 
In particular, the community offers tools that let you securely save copies and versions of your code and reduce the possibility that your work will be lost as a result of a faulty hard drive, an accidentally deleted file, or just leaving your laptop and all of its contents in the back of a cab. Software tools for version control assist individuals and teams in tracking changes made to their source code over time. These programs maintain track of every modification to the code in a certain kind of database. 

Developers can travel back in time and compare prior versions of the code to help repair errors while allowing other team members to carry on with their work if a mistake is made.

Why is Version Control important? 
Version Control might not be required if you work alone on a small project. But the time when a person could successfully create and execute a business concept on their own is dropping dramatically. You won't have too much trouble managing modifications on your own. However, when other people are involved, things can rapidly become complicated.
This wouldn't be as awful if there were a clear division of duties. At first, you might assume you'll hand off the project to your coworker once you've finished your portion. But for a variety of reasons, this is not realistic. You'll frequently find yourself collaborating on projects and files with others. Using version control
A group can collaborate in real time.
Multiple people altering the duplicate files causes confusion, which a team manages.

"Git Version Control"
Git is the version control system that is now utilized the most. Linus Torvalds invented Git (who also happens to be the creator of Linux). Git allows you and your coworkers to work on different versions of the same project simultaneously, and it will store two different copies of each. You can later combine your adjustments without erasing any of your valuable efforts. You can always go back to an earlier version of your code if you discover a mistake in it later. Git maintains a "snapshot" of each modification ever made.

How Does Version Control Work?
The source code is the team's most valuable resource when working on software projects. Additionally, it needs to be shielded from malicious or unintentional corruption. The code encapsulates all of the thorough research, education, and effort put forward by all project participants to comprehend the problem domain. Individual coding assignments, which may or may not be connected, might be given to a team of developers.

One team member may be tasked with introducing a new feature, while another may be responsible for resolving a bug elsewhere in the system. In some instances, both developers may be required to change the same file in order to make these modifications possible.
The source code is typically organized in folders, which are actually branches of a tree, with each folder standing for a separate project component. As a result, several modifications in the tree structure may emerge from changes to the source code. For detailed information, visit the [full stack developer course](https://www.learnbay.co/full-stack-software-development-program), designed by experts.  
A robust version control system allows developers to undo any changes made by going back to a specified point on the tree and undoing any new work done since then. This helps to ensure that one developer's work does not clash with that of other team members.
Benefits of Version Control 
Without effective source control, it's more likely that you'll lose your job than you will. And that's simply too dangerous. The advantages of version control are listed below.
Faster development
Your code is more protected when you use version control, and everyone can move along more quickly.
Enables teams to grow
The benefit of version control is that it is simple for your team to increase the number of developers working on a project.
Track all alterations
A complete record of all alterations made to a file throughout time. This covers all alterations created by all users who edited files under the supervision of the version control system.
What to expect from a compelling version control offering?
The history of a good version control system should contain edit timestamps, authors of the changes, and notes explaining why the changes were made.
When trying to solve issues in the future, this knowledge is crucial.
To make your modifications, you should also be able to clone (branch) your code from the main codebase.
Re-integrate your modifications into the primary source.

Maintenance
The majority of teams keep a development branch of the codebase that team members may safely check out, merge back their modifications, and double-check that they haven't unintentionally broken anything. The team will merge the development codebase onto the production or master copy of the code once the modifications have been appropriately incorporated and tested. The end users of the product interact with this copy.

Version Control Tips 
Never add flawed code back into an existing codebase.
Merge frequently and make minimal changes.
The easier it is to fix any flaws produced by the changes, the smaller the portion of merged code.
It's crucial to track every change made to a file. Being able to navigate the history of changes when making changes makes it easier to comprehend how a file has changed over time. A developer can also estimate the time and resources required to fix an issue or add new functionality using the history. To know how to implement version control, check out the [full stack developer course with placement](https://www.learnbay.co/full-stack-software-development-program) and become a certified software developer within 3 months.