Why you should start using git now
The famous version control system git got a new logo and their documentation got a redesign! That shall not be the primary issue of this article, but it's still very positive to see, that the project is making an effort to become a little sexier and more approachable to the public.
What is git?
Git is an amazing version control system, which was originally developed as a bunch of scripts to maintain the massive development of the linux kernel. It's amazing, because it does not require constant connectivity, because it is fast, it compresses well and at it's current state has a lot of great solutions that work with and around it.Should I use git?
If you consider, that in the future, you might not be the only one working on a piece of code, you should. This case basically occurs if you are looking for a job in a company that exceeds 3 employees or attempting group work in your programming related studies.Why should I use it?
You should use git to make sure, that you're a developer, who is able to collaborate with others. More and more job descriptions I come across require experience with a version control system and mostly it's git.It doesn't make your life harder, it will just make you smarter, faster and more precise, even if you have to learn a command line tool. For easy starts and most features you'll need as a beginner, there are gui clients (which now also are listed on the git website).
Screenshot of GitX on Mac OS, that shows a simple change. The red line was removed, the green line was added, it shows a change, with the old line numbers to the left, the new on the right. Line 2 was not changed.
How can I get started?
The freely available book about git is a good point to start, videos about git are also available. If you want hands on tutorials for a lot of cases, check out the github help center, where you will get your hands dirty right away.I currently aim to implement some short teaching classes for code-related studies, so students learn to collaborate with each other, because it has become a vital part in the skill set of every programmer. Studies destinated for this are Datamatician, Web Development and possibly Multimedia Design studies in Denmark.