📘 Time Travel for Code: Mastering Software Version Control (SVC) and Git
🧠 What is Software Version Control (SVC)?
Software Version Control (SVC) is the practice of tracking and managing changes to software code. It allows developers to save multiple versions of files, collaborate efficiently, and revert back if issues arise.
Other terms:
- Revision Control
- Source Control
- Part of Software Configuration Management (SCM)
🔐 Core Benefits of SVC
| Feature | Description |
|---|
| ✅ Code Protection | Commits code into a structured history tree. |
| 📜 Change Tracking | Every change includes metadata (who, what, when). |
| 🤝 Concurrent Work | Multiple developers can edit simultaneously. |
| ⏪ Rollback | Revert to any previous version easily. |
| 🌿 Branch & Merge | Develop features independently and integrate later. |
💡 Introducing Git
Git is the most popular Distributed Version Control System (DVCS).
- 🛠 Created by Linus Torvalds in 2005.
- 💡 Free, open-source, highly scalable.
- ⚠️ Git ≠ GitHub: Git is the tool. GitHub is a hosting service built on Git.
🏗 Git Architecture: Three Main Structures
| Structure | Description |
|---|
| 🧾 Working Directory | Local workspace with source files, docs, etc. |
| 📥 Staging Area (Index) | Temporary holding area for changes before commit. |
| 🧠 Repository (HEAD) | Stores all committed changes locally. |
🔄 Git File Lifecycle
| Status | Description | Required Command |
|---|
| Untracked | New file, not tracked by Git | git add |
| Unmodified | Tracked, no changes detected | — |
| Modified | File changed but not staged | git add |
| Staged | Ready to commit | git commit |
Check status:
🔧 Essential Git Commands
1️⃣ Repository Setup
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| git init # Create a new Git repository
git clone <url> # Clone existing repository
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2️⃣ Adding, Removing, and Moving Files
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| git add . # Stage all changes
git add <file> # Stage a specific file
git rm <file> # Remove file and stage deletion
git rm -rf <folder> # Force delete folder and stage deletion
git mv <old> <new> # Rename or move a file
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3️⃣ Committing Changes
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| git commit -m "message" # Commit with message
git commit -a -m "message" # Stage and commit tracked changes
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4️⃣ Working with Remotes
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| git remote add origin <url> # Link to remote repository
git remote -v # Show remotes
git push origin <branch> # Push changes to remote
git pull origin <branch> # Pull changes from remote
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5️⃣ Branching and Merging
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| git branch <branch> # Create branch
git checkout <branch> # Switch to branch
git checkout -b <branch> # Create + switch
git merge <branch> # Merge into current branch
git branch -d <branch> # Delete branch
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⚠️ Conflict Handling
- Git marks conflicting sections.
- Manually edit to resolve.
- Use
git add and git commit to finish conflict resolution.
6️⃣ History and Comparison
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| git log # View commit history
git diff # Compare working dir with index
git diff --cached # Compare index with last commit
git diff HEAD # Compare working dir with last commit
git diff <branch> # Compare current branch with another
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📌 Summary: Git Workflow Steps
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| 1. git init or git clone
2. Edit files
3. git add
4. git commit
5. git push / git pull
6. git branch / git merge (optional)
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🚀 Why Learn Git and SVC?
Mastering Git helps you:
- Build resilient automation
- Collaborate across teams
- Avoid data loss
- Rollback mistakes fast
- Scale codebases confidently
Whether you’re preparing for an interview, revising for a test, or starting your DevOps journey—this knowledge is a must-have.
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