In many cases, web development is not just a time-consuming process, but one that requires both the collaboration of several developers and the constant improvement of the code and tracking of its changes. To manage such tasks efficiently and correctly, the use of version control systems remains important. Among the convenient version control systems, Git attracts attention. So, we will consider it in more detail, as well as the benefits of using it.
Тhe History of Version Control and Its Importance
Version control allows developers to track changes in the project source code. By tracking them, they can manage them. This allows restoring previous versions of the code if necessary and simplifies collaboration between developers. At the same time, it also takes care of project security.
Systems and types of version control systems have been around for a long time, starting with simple tools like CVS and RCS. Thus, we can safely talk about the whole history of version control. However, with the advent of Git, simpler tools have evolved quite a bit. Git was created by Linus Torvalds to manage the development of the Linux kernel in 2005 and became popular due to its speed and ease of use. Today it is maintained by Junio Hamano. We’ll talk about Git full form and its benefits in more detail below. But first, let’s pay attention to code management tools.
Code Management Tools
Code management in web development covers a wide range of methods. Among them, static and dynamic code analysis is of particular importance. To understand what static code analysis is, it is worth outlining the following. It is an integral part of the software development process because static code analysis allows the detection of potential errors and vulnerabilities at the stage of compiling or checking the code without executing it. Thanks to this, developers can prevent problems from occurring while the program is running, while ensuring code security and higher quality. In turn, dynamic code analysis is aimed at detecting errors that occur in real-time. Both types of analysis are essential elements of the code management process, helping to improve the quality and reliability of software products.
Web platforms that provide services for hosting and collaborative project management based on Git are GitHub and GitLab. They allow you to:
- store code,
- track its changes,
- collaborate on it in a team.
GitHub is one of the largest web services for collaborative software development. There are paid and free usage plans.
Among other types of version control systems, there is such a Git repository hosting option as Bitbucket.
It provides ample opportunities for project collaboration and integration with other development tools.
Benefits of Using Git
Source control management, such as Git, provides the necessary tools for effective source code management and contributes to the successful development of web development projects. This includes:
- Ability to be flexible and fast,
- Effective collaboration between developers by sharing code changes,
- The ability to work with code branches for parallel feature development.
Now let’s take a closer look at this.
Speed and flexibility
Git is a distributed version control system. This means that every developer has a full version of the code on their computer. This makes it convenient to work offline and quickly make changes to the code without the need for a constant connection to the network.
Collaboration
Collaboration is a key factor in software development. Git facilitates effective collaboration between developers with the following features:
- sharing code changes across different branches,
- support for various code merge strategies.
Thus, developers easily interact on a project, constructively distributing tasks and combining their efforts to achieve common goals. This approach helps to increase team productivity and, as a result, achieve the desired result faster.
Branches
Another equally important feature of Git is the ability to create different code branches. These are a kind of code versioning tools. Branches are separate ways of project development. They do not affect each other. Developers create branches to fix bugs or work on specific functions. At the same time, the main code remains unchanged. This benefit allows developers to quickly solve problems and add new features without compromising the stability of the main code. That is, developers can work on different project functions in parallel without affecting the main code.
The Best Version Control Software
SourceTree
A popular graphical client for Git that offers extensive features for working with repositories and branches. It is distinguished by its wide functionality and features. In addition to the basic features, SourceTree provides additional tools for easy collaboration and project management. Namely,
- supports branching, merging, and rolling back changes, making it an ideal tool for teamwork,
- integrates with various cloud services for convenient work with repositories and online project collaboration.
It is suitable for both beginners looking for a simple interface and experienced developers who need advanced version control capabilities.
GitKraken
This is a graphical client for Git that provides an intuitive interface for managing repositories and easy visualization of branches and changes. Its features:
- convenient visualization of branches and changes, which allows developers to easily track project development and make changes,
- integration with GitLab, GitHub, and Bitbucket platforms, which allows you to work with repositories on these services without interruption.
Its intuitive interface is ideal for both beginners and experienced developers.
As you’ve probably already seen, Git is a powerful tool for both collaboration and code management. It allows developers to effectively manage projects, track changes, and collaborate in a team. This makes project management complete and convenient, which translates into efficiency and excellent end results.