Why version control matters
Git gives a project memory. Instead of keeping folders named final, final-v2, or final-really-final, you save meaningful snapshots called commits. Each commit records what changed, who changed it, and why it changed.
The practical benefit is confidence. You can try an idea, compare it with the previous version, undo a mistake, or share the work with a teammate without losing the stable state of the project.
What Git is good at
- Tracking source files and documentation over time.
- Helping teams work in parallel without overwriting each other.
- Answering questions such as what changed, when it changed, and who reviewed it.
- Recovering from common mistakes.
Core vocabulary
A repository is a project tracked by Git. A commit is a saved snapshot. A branch is a movable name pointing at a commit. A remote is another copy of the repository, often hosted on GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket.
git --version
git helpIn the rest of this course you will practice these ideas with small, safe changes before using them on production work.