Git: why is it good and what is it used for?

Git is a popular version control system that lets developers track changes in code effectively, collaborate on projects and manage various versions of their software. It was created by Linus Torvalds in 2005 and has since become the standard in software development. 

It brings a modern approach to managing code that is fast, effective and adapted to developers' needs. Thanks to its distributed nature it lets you work independently of a central server and offers a high level of security and flexibility.

Whether you are an individual programmer or a member of a large development team, this tool will help you keep a project organised and secure. Take a look at other useful tools for developers.

Why use Git?

A history of changes 

It records every change in a project, which lets you go back to previous versions of the code. Every change is saved in the repository's history and can be analysed retrospectively. That is particularly useful when fixing errors – a developer can identify exactly when and why a change was made and, if needed, go back to an older version at any time. Besides that, every change is marked with a unique identifier (a hash), which ensures clarity and security.

A distributed system 

Every developer has a copy of the whole repository, which means they can work offline too. Unlike centralised systems, where data is stored on a single server, it lets developers make changes locally and synchronise them with the remote repository as needed. That raises flexibility and minimises dependence on an internet connection. If the server goes down, the project can continue without restrictions, because every developer has their own copy of the repository's history.

Better collaboration 

Developers can work on various branches of a project without overwriting each other's code. Creating separate branches allows isolated work on new features or bug fixes while the main version of the code stays stable. Once the work is done, the branch can be merged with the main one (e.g. main or develop), which ensures smooth development without conflicts. This approach supports agile development methods and makes collaboration between team members easier.

Efficiency and speed 

It is designed to work fast with large projects too. Operations such as commit, merge or checkout are optimised for performance and handle thousands of files and a large number of changes without slowing down markedly. Besides that it uses techniques such as delta encoding, which means it stores only the differences between file versions, thereby saving space and speeding operations up. These qualities make it an ideal tool for projects of various sizes.

Security 

All data is cryptographically secured, which prevents unauthorised changes. Every change is stored in the repository's history as an immutable record that cannot be altered afterwards without that showing in the history. It uses the SHA-1 algorithm to secure data integrity, thereby ensuring no change can be made without leaving a trace. This quality matters above all in projects where strict security standards and auditability of changes have to be observed.

10 basic commands in Git

Mastering the basic commands is essential for working effectively with a version control system. These commands will let you initialise a new repository, track a project's state, save changes and synchronise your work with colleagues.

git init

Initialises a new Git repository in the current directory. This command creates a hidden .git directory where it keeps all the versioning information. It is used when you start work on a new project and want to track it with Git.

git init

git clone

Copies an existing repository from another place (for instance from GitHub). This command downloads the whole project and its history to your local computer, which allows you to edit it further.

git clone https://github.com/user/repository.git

git status

Shows the working directory's state and information about which files have been changed, added to the staging area or not yet tracked.

git status

git add

Adds files to the so-called staging area, thereby preparing them for a commit. Without this step Git will not record the edits made.

git add file_name

git commit

Saves changes to the local repository and adds a descriptive message to them. This way you create versions of code you can go back to later.

git commit -m "Description of the change"

git push

Sends local changes to a remote server (e.g. GitHub, GitLab). Thanks to that other team members can see your edits.

git push origin main

git pull

Downloads the latest changes from the remote repository and merges them with the local code. This command ensures you are working with the project's current version.

git pull origin main

git branch

Shows a list of existing branches or creates a new branch. It is used to separate new features from the project's main branch.

git branch new_branch

git checkout

Switches between branches or restores files to a previous state.

git checkout new_branch

git merge

Merges changes from one branch into another. It is used to integrate new features into the main branch.

git merge new_branch

In closing

Git is a basic tool for every developer who wants control over managing code. It lets you track changes effectively, keep a history of edits and work on various versions of a project without the risk of losing important data.

Besides managing code it markedly eases collaboration in a team. Developers can work on the same project simultaneously, create branches for testing new features and merge them into the main version later without conflicts. This system ensures organised development and allows problems to be solved simply.