What is a version control system?

Version Control System (VCS) is a tool that allows tracking changes in files and managing these changes over time.

Main functions:

• Change history: Saving each version of a file with the ability to revert to any previous one.
• Branching: The ability to create independent lines of development for experiments or working on different features in parallel.
• Merging: Combining changes from different branches into a single one.
• Synchronization: Coordinating changes between local copies of code and a central repository (for distributed VCS).
• Author tracking: Identifying who and when made specific changes.

Types of VCS:

• Centralized (CVCS): For example, Subversion (SVN). There is one central server where the entire history is stored. Clients work with this central copy.
• Distributed (DVCS): For example, Git. Each user has a full copy of the repository, including the entire history. Work can be done offline, and synchronization occurs as needed.

Advantages of using VCS:

• Collaborative work: Simplifies parallel work of the team on shared code.
• Recovery: Allows easy rollback to a stable version in case of errors.
• Traceability: It is visible who, when, and why made each change.
• Backup: The change history essentially serves as a form of backup.
• Release management: Helps track different versions of the product.

Example of a Git command to save changes:

# Add all changed files to the index
git add .
# Create a commit with a message describing the changes
git commit -m "feat: Added logging function"