Version control is one of the most important practices in modern software development. It allows development teams to maintain a detailed history of code changes, collaborate effectively, and easily roll back errors. In this chapter, we will explore what version control is, why Git is the most popular tool for this purpose, and the difference between using command line and graphical tools to manage repositories.

What is Version Control?

Version control is a system that records changes made to a file or set of files over time so that you can revert to previous versions of those files. This is extremely useful when developing software projects, as it gives us the ability to:

• Revert files or the entire project to a previous state.
• Compare changes over time.
• See who made a change that may have introduced an error.
• Collaborate effectively with other developers.

Why use Git?

Git is a distributed version control tool, meaning that each developer has a complete copy of the project's history on their own machine. This allows for greater flexibility and security compared to other centralized version control systems.

Some of the most notable advantages of Git are:

• Performance: Git handles large and complex projects efficiently.
• Distributed: All team members have a complete copy of the history, which allows for offline work.
• Security: Git uses cryptographic hash functions (SHA-1) to ensure history integrity.
• Popularity: Git has become the industry standard, used by companies and open-source projects worldwide.

Git vs Graphical Tools (GUI)

Although Git was initially designed to be used from the command line, there are graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that make it easier to use. In this section, we'll briefly look at the differences between using Git on the command line and some of the most common GUIs.

Git on the Command Line

Using Git on the command line offers full control over the repository and all its features. Some essential commands include:

bash

While it may seem intimidating at first, working with the command line is ideal for learning Git's internal workings and performing more advanced tasks that may not be available in graphical tools.

Graphical Tools (GUIs)

Graphical user interfaces like SourceTree, GitKraken, and Tower allow developers to use Git visually. These tools are especially useful for beginners or those who prefer a more intuitive interface. However, it is important to note that these tools are complementary and do not replace knowledge of Git on the command line.

In this series of chapters, we will focus on Git from the command line, but we will also reference SourceTree when relevant.

Platforms for Hosting Repositories

When working in a team, Git becomes even more powerful when integrated with platforms that host repositories in the cloud. These platforms enable collaboration, handle pull requests, and continuous integration, among other things. Some of the most popular platforms include:

• GitHub: It is the most popular repository hosting platform and the one we will focus on primarily in this course.
• GitLab: An alternative that offers advanced CI/CD functionalities.
• Bitbucket: Another popular service, especially in enterprise environments.

bash

By learning to manage these platforms alongside Git, you'll be able to collaborate with distributed teams around the world.

Conclusion

In this first chapter, we have learned what version control is, why Git is the most used tool today, and the differences between using the command line and graphical tools. We have also briefly seen the most popular platforms for hosting repositories. In the next chapter, we will focus on installing and configuring Git so you can start working on your own projects.