Wikipedia
Git (/ɡɪt/[8]) is a version control system (VCS) for tracking changes in computer files and coordinating work on those files among multiple people. It is primarily used for source code management in software development,[9] but it can be used to keep track of changes in any set of files. As a distributed revision control system it is aimed at speed,[10] data integrity,[11] and support for distributed, non-linear workflows.[12]
Github
Git is an open source program for tracking changes in text files. https://help.github.com/articles/github-glossary/
Keeping track of file versions is hard.
Above all else, Git is a fast and distributed version control system, that allows you to efficiently handle projects large and small.
Here are some problems we face as developers, and how git solves them:
Git allows us to make save points at any time. These save points are called 'commits'. Once a save point is made, it's permanent, and allows us to go back to that save point at any time. From there, we can see what the code looked like at that point, or even start building off that version.
Every commit has a description (commit message), which allows us to describe what changes were made between the current and previous commit. This is usually a description of what features were added or what bugs were fixed.
Additionally, git supports tagging, which allows us to mark a specific commit as a specific version of our code (e.g. '2.4.5').
It's often important to see content of the actual changes that were made. This can be useful when:
- tracking down when and how a bug was introduced
- understanding the changes a team member made so you can stay up-to-date with progress
- reviewing code as a team for correctness or quality/style
Git allows us to easily see these changes (called a diff) for any given commit.
In developing software, we often want to experiment in adding a feature or refactoring (rewriting) existing code. Because git makes it easy to go back to a known good state, we can experiment without worrying that we'll be unable to undo the experimental work.
- Auditing system for changes on a file
- For collaboratively editing a text document
- For drafting government web design standards!
- Open comment period for policy
- Drafting and collaborating on legal documents
- Design (image diff)
- Open journalsim showcase
- Github for Government