What is Git

The world’s most popular version control system (VCS) - VCS: A software that tracks and manages changes to files over time - Git is just one of many VCS

• It is primarily a terminal tool
  • We can use it in the terminal and with a GUI

GUIs VS Command Line

• GUIs include Github Desktop, GitKraken, etc
• GUIs
  • Pros: easy
  • Cons
    • “magic” → can click without understanding things and things may go wrong quickly
    • dependence on a particular piece of software
• Command Line
  • Pros
    • all documentation leads to cmd
    • way faster
    • some new commands/features only exist in the cmd
  • Cons
    • not beginner friendly
    • even for experienced users the cmd can be unfriendly

Things it helps us

• track changes
• compare versions of a project
• “time travel” to old versions
• collaborate and share changes
• combine changes

Users

• Engineers + programmers (like…all literally companies)
• Tech-adjacent roles
• Governments
  • governments have started using Git to manage drafting laws and publish its laws
  • government.github.com
• Scientists, research teams
  • Manage code, datasets, and more
• Writers!
  • Uses to manage drafts of complex novels, screenplays, or other works with lots of moving parts
  • Collaborative textbook writing!!
• Anyone really!