Git & Version Control
Git is a distributed version control system that tracks changes to code over time, enabling collaboration and history management. Created by Linus Torvalds, Git is used by virtually every software pro…
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Definition
Git is a distributed version control system that tracks changes to code over time, enabling collaboration and history management. Created by Linus Torvalds, Git is used by virtually every software project worldwide. Combined with platforms like GitHub and GitLab, Git enables team collaboration, code review, and deployment automation.
Key Points
- Tracks every change to code with full history
- Branching enables parallel development without conflicts
- GitHub/GitLab provide code hosting, pull requests, and CI/CD
- Essential skill for every developer — non-negotiable in modern software development
Frequently Asked Questions
Git is the version control tool that runs on your computer — it tracks changes to files. GitHub is a web platform that hosts Git repositories online, adding features like pull requests, issues, CI/CD (GitHub Actions), and social coding. Git is the engine; GitHub (or GitLab, Bitbucket) is the platform. You can use Git without GitHub, but not GitHub without Git.
Essential: git clone, add, commit, push, pull, status, log. Important: git branch, checkout/switch, merge, stash, diff. Advanced: git rebase, cherry-pick, bisect, reflog. Start with the essentials — they cover 90% of daily Git usage. Learn branching strategies (Git Flow or trunk-based) once you're comfortable with basics.
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