Git is a solution that is directly connected to the web development field. It was created to make life easier for professionals working in systems development.
You’ve probably had to edit a file and upload it via FTP, only to discover that someone else had uploaded the same file a short time later, overwriting the changes you made.
Git is useful to avoid this waste of time and energy.
But what is Git, why was it created, and what are its main features?
We’ll tell you about it below.
What is Git and where does it come from?
By definition, Git is a Distributed Version Control System that was created by Linus Torvalds, better known for another of his creations, Linux .
Linus developed Git after becoming dissatisfied with a license change in the use of BitKeeper , the version control system used by Linux developers.
Since nothing similar existed at the time, Torvalds created his own version of a system to track changes for the Linux project . And this is where Git emerged.
What Git does is record changes that occur in a project’s source code. This allows files to be modified simultaneously by multiple people without worrying about those changes being overwritten by others .
Thanks to this functionality, if there special database is a problem with a source code change, it is possible to restore the previous version quickly and easily.
A technology like Git is essential for teams working on the same project, as it simplifies the control of operations performed by countless people.
What is the difference between Git?
Its decentralized architecture is what makes Git stand out from other similar system options.
We have Subversion and CSV, for example, with a centralized architecture; that is, they have a central repository.
One of the disadvantages of this type of architecture is the slow performance it generates when there are many teams and projects in the same repository. In addition, you must always be online to perform operations such as creating branches.
In the decentralized architecture adopted by Git, there isn’t necessarily an official repository; however, it is possible to create one. Thus, each repository, including the one on the contributor’s machine, will have a complete and functional copy, allowing operations to be used even when offline.
It’s worth mentioning that there are design and layout of letters for the bank was accelerated by 54% using a master template other similar systems to Git, such as Mercurial and Bazaar . However, they aren’t very popular.
What is the importance of Git?
Git is important in almost all projects carried out by teams working side by side, because it prevents conflicts between changes made.
Since projects are often constantly evolving, it’s common for changes to occur that can cause issues with their functionality. In this case, Git allows changes to be reverted quickly and easily, returning to the previous version.
Git is so widely used these days that understanding how it works is almost mandatory for any job opportunity involving programming.
How does Git work, in practice?
In simple terms, Git works on a branch architecture. Each new commit, i.e., code change, creates a new current branch point .
Here’s an example of a contribution flow in a project using Git:
1. Project clone
The first step to obtaining the project’s source code is to clone it to our machines, so that its files are available locally.
2. Creating a Branch
When you create a branch, you create a new, completely independent branch so you can modify the project files without interfering with japan data the original files. This process is considered good practice when working on new features.
3. Commits
As files are created, they are categorized into commits. It’s important to keep the description of each commit objective, as it will be recorded in the change log.
4. Push Time
When the feature is fully completed, we must push our branch and all changes back to the remote repository. This way, it will be available for other project contributors to view and edit.
5. Merge to bring everything together
To merge your branch’s changes with the original project files, you can use the Merge command. After this, you need to apply a commit and a push to send a merged master branch to the remote repository and make everything available to other contributors.
There’s also a Pull Request, which is related to contributions to open source projects. Basically, this occurs when the owner of a repository is asked to include certain modifications in the project.
What are the most used commands in Git?
There are some commands that are most commonly used by those who use this versioning system on a daily basis. Learn some of them:
- Initialize : Used to initialize an empty repository or restart an existing one;
- Clone : used to clone the repository;
- Add : used to add a file to the State Area, to be linked to a next commit;
- Commit : command used to move files from the State Area to the local repository;
- Pull : Used to fetch and bring changes from the remote repository to the local repository; that is, to merge the contents of the modified files. In some cases, human intervention may be required to perform this merge;
- Push: used to send the file from the local repository to the remote one;
- Murge : used to merge commits and branches into the current Branch;
- Log : allows you to see the commit history or a specific one.
Is Git the same as Github?
Many people confuse Git with Github, but they are different terms . As we explained earlier, Git is a Distributed Version Control System, while Github is a platform for creating Git repositories.
In other words, Github allows you to create a remote Git repository, allowing other people to clone it locally, make changes, and push those changes to the remote repository.
There are other systems that allow you to host Git repositories, including Gitlab and Bitbucket .
It’s important to note that using a code hosting system is the fastest and easiest way to create a Git repository and start developing amazing team projects.
Is Git worth using?
Git has become an indispensable tool not only for software development, but also for any other activity involving collaboration on the Internet. Its contribution, especially to the open source community, is undeniable.
The evolution of technology is largely due to the mutual contributions of different people. Even the largest language and framework projects are open source, and it’s thanks to communities and their support that technology continues to grow constantly.