What is Git Version Control? Types & Benefits of Git Version Control System (VCS)
What is Git Version Control?
Let’s understand exactly what is version control system in Git.
The Git version control system is software that records modifications to a set of pages across time so that you can go back to prior versions. It also allows programmers to collaborate.
Git VCS a collection of software tools that assist a team in managing source code modifications. It keeps track of every change to the code with the help of a dedicated database.
To correct errors, developers can compare recent versions of the code to older versions.
What Are Benefits of Git Version Control System?
Below, we have mentioned the primary advantages of Git version controlling:
-
Version control system in Git provides developers with a quick interface.
-
It allows software development teams to maintain efficiency and agility when the team grows to incorporate more developers.
-
It provides developers with the benefits of working simultaneously on a project.
-
Developers can easily trace files through it.
Different Types of Git Version Control System (VCS)
As part of this Git tutorial for beginners, we have covered all the types of Git version control, including:
-
Localized Version Control System
-
Centralized Version Control System
-
Distributed Version Control System
Let’s understand each type in detail below.
1. Localized Version Control System
Localized version control in Git is very commonly used due to its simplicity.
However, this strategy increases the risk of error. You may lose track of which directory you're in and write to the wrong file or copy over data you don't want.
To solve this problem, programmers created local VCSs with a rudimentary database. All changes to files are tracked in such databases. A local version control system in Git is used to keep local copies of the files.
Git local VCS has a single point of failure, which is, again, a huge disadvantage.
2. Centralized Version Control System
The programmers are required to work with programmers working on other platforms. In this scenario, the localized version control system failed. Centralized Version Control System was then created to address this issue.
These systems have a single server that holds all of the versioned files, as well as clients that can check out files from a central location.
Compared to local VCS, a centralized version control system in Git offers numerous advantages.
-
Everyone on the system gets access to the project's progress information.
-
Other developers are under the control of administrators.
-
A centralized version control system is easier to manage than a localized version control system.
-
A server software component of a local version control system stores and manages the multiple versions of the files.
It suffers from the same flaw as a local version control system in that it has a single point of failure.
3. Distributed Version Control System
A central server stores all of the database and team collaboration in a centralized version control system. However, developers dislike it since it causes single-point failure, which means the central server fails.
The Git Distributed Version Control System (DVCS) was then created to address this issue.
The user has a local copy of a repository in a Distributed Version Control System (such as Git, Mercurial, Bazaar, or Darcs). As a result, even though clients can fully mirror the repository, they only check out the latest snapshot of the files. All files and information from the main repository are available in the local repository.
Automatic management branching and merging are both possible with DVCS. Except for pushing and pulling, it accelerates most tasks.
DVCS makes it easier to work offline and eliminates the need for a single backup site. If a server fails and other systems rely on it for collaboration, that server can restore any of the client repositories. Every checkout has a complete data backup.
These methods aren't reliant on a central server to keep track of all project file versions.