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1.2 - Distributed Version Control - GitHub Foundations

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By Yatharth Chauhan
2 min read

Distributed Version Control

  1. Define: Every user has a complete copy of the repository, including its history. Changes are made locally and then shared with others.
    • Examples: Git, Mercurial.
    • Pros: Full history available locally, robust against server failures, supports complex workflows.
    • Cons: Requires more storage; synchronization can be complex.

Example: Real Scenario

Distributed Version Control is like having a full backup of your project with you at all times. It’s powerful, flexible, and a key tool for developers who work on software or any other projects with multiple versions. Git is a common tool for this, and GitHub makes sharing and collaborating on these projects easier.

  1. Centralized vs. Distributed Version Control:
    • Centralized Version Control:
      • All files and their history are stored in one central place (a server).
      • Everyone works from this single location.
    • Distributed Version Control:
      • Every person has a full copy of the project history on their own computer.
      • You don’t need to connect to a central server to make changes or see the history.
  2. Why Use Distributed Version Control?
    • Work Offline: You can work without an internet connection because all files and history are on your computer.
    • Speed: Since everything is on your computer, actions like committing changes or viewing history are faster.
    • Collaboration: You can easily share your work with others and combine different people’s work into one project.
  3. How Does Distributed Version Control Work?
    • Clone: When you start a project, you make a copy (clone) of the repository (a storage space for your project) from a server.
    • Commit: You save your changes locally (on your computer) and keep a history of what you’ve done.
    • Push/Pull: You can share your changes with others by pushing them to a server or getting others’ changes by pulling from the server.
    • Branching: You can create different branches to work on new features or fixes without affecting the main project.
  4. Git as an Example of Distributed Version Control:
    • Git: Git is the most popular distributed version control system. It’s used by developers all over the world to manage their code.
    • GitHub: GitHub is a platform that hosts Git repositories online, making it easier to collaborate with others.
  5. Why is This Important?
    • Safety: If something goes wrong with the server, everyone still has a complete copy of the project.
    • Flexibility: You can experiment with new ideas without risking the main project, then merge your changes when ready.
    • Collaboration: Teams can work together efficiently, even if they are in different places.

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