Git is a distributed version control system that tracks changes in any set of computer files, usually used for coordinating work among programmers who are collaboratively developing source code during software development. It is a free and open-source software designed to handle everything from small to very large projects with speed and efficiency. Git is easy to learn and has a tiny footprint with lightning-fast performance.
Git is the most popular version control system in the world, with nearly 95% of developers reporting it as their primary version control system as of 2022. It is useful to anyone who writes code or tracks changes to files, from web developers to app developers. Git tracks the changes made to files, so you have a record of what has been done, and you can revert to specific versions should you ever need to. Git also makes collaboration easier, allowing changes by multiple people to all be merged into one source.
Some key features of Git include:
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Distributed: Git is a distributed version control system, which means that each developer has a copy of the entire repository on their local machine. This allows for offline work and makes it easier to work with remote teams.
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Checksummed: Everything in Git is checksummed before it is stored and is then referred to by that checksum. This means its impossible to change the contents of any file or directory without Git knowing about it.
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Non-linear workflows: Git supports non-linear workflows, which means that thousands of parallel branches can run on different computers. This allows for more flexible development and experimentation.
Git can be accessed via a command line or a desktop app that has a GUI. There are also many popular offerings of Git repository services, including GitHub, SourceForge, Bitbucket, and GitLab.
