What is git, and why do you need to learn it (and possibly also GitHub)?

Get familiar with the basic tools of the trade that allow developers to work together

Key Takeways

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What is Git?

Git is a distributed version control system, created by Linus Torvalds in 2005 to help manage the development of the Linux kernel. It is fast, efficient, and flexible, and has become the de-facto code management tool for developpers. However it can also be... confusing. Let's take a look at what it is, how to learn it and what resources are available.

Why learn Git?

Because git is cool --- Linus Torvalds

Git is the standard

Git has become the defacto standard for SCMs. Although there are other version control systems, Git is the most widely used and supported.

Git is distributed

Git makes remote teamwork easier. There is no need for a central server, each developer can work locally without even needing to be connected to the internet while they work.

Git is well supported

There are loads of tools and services that make using (and learning) easier and more fun. These include GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, and many more.

Git is simple

Git follows the Linux philosophy of "do one thing and do it well". It is simple to learn and use, but powerful enough to handle the most complex projects.

Git enables (remote) teamwork. Git's strength (compared to previous SCMs) it that it is distributed. Instead of a centralised server that holds all the code, each developer (and each project) is a local database the user works with.

As an SCM, Git tracks every change made to a project's codebase. This allows developers to experiment with new ideas or features without the fear of losing previous work. If something goes wrong, Git allows them to revert to earlier versions effortlessly.

This not only helps manage code but also see who made what changes and why, which is invaluable for debugging and learning.

Git has become the industry standard for version control systems, widely adopted by tech companies and open-source projects alike. Mastering Git is therefore a critical skill for any developer looking to stay relevant in the job market.

Quiz Question

01:30

Which famous monument is this?

How to learn Git?

Further resources

We've come to the end of this first stage in the journey towards code mastery. But it's only the first step. There are still many things to understand and master. To help you on your way, here are a few useful resources:

The Git Book

... which contains the official git documentation produced by the git developers. The book is complete, available online free of charge, and very thorough. [https://git-scm.com/book/] https://git-scm.com/book/fr

The Git game

to continue learning: https://learngitbranching.js.org/

Github documentation

To learn how to manage the flagship tool for hosting remote repositories https://docs.github.com/en

GitHub tutorials

https://skills.github.com/

Why learn git?

How to learn git?

git:Important concepts

Resources

Project Ideas

FAQ