Git with It: 5 Reasons Every Developer Needs to Learn Version Control
by TJ Kinion
Why Git is Important in Web Development
Working for LearningFuze Coding Bootcamp has provided me the opportunity to work with developers at all levels, from newbies that just discovered “Hello World” to those that have risen to the level of CIO. You’re probably tired of hearing that Web Developers need to understand the fundamentals of JavaScript, HTML, and CSS (this isn’t changing anytime soon by the way). So let’s change up the conversation and talk about our often overlooked friends, Git and version control.
Here at LearningFuze, Git is so integral to the program that we start teaching it in our Prep Class and we’ve even built a custom Learning Management System that integrates directly with GitHub. We were surprised to learn that there isn’t a LMS out there with GitHub compatibility so as Engineers we solved the problem instead of taking the easy road. Tim Davis, our Lead Instructor and Curriculum Director, has been teaching Web Development for over 5 years in addition to his previous career as a developer so he seemed like the perfect person to ask about why Git is so important to being a hirable developer.
5 Reasons to Git on Board Version Control
- It’s the De Facto industry-standard version control system. Since Git was created by Linus Torvalds (also the creator of Linux) back in 2005 it has risen in developer community usage over time. In 2014, Git was used in only 37% of repositories compared to SVN which represented 48%. Fast forward a bit and in 2019 Git accounts for 70% of repositories.
- Work is stored as snapshots that enable time-travel through the history of a project. Whether you are working alone or on a team it’s important to track changes. Documentation of workflow and processes is important to any project, coding is no different. Have you ever been blamed for something you didn’t do? Version control to the rescue!
- Mistakes are easy to fix and no one is perfect. By utilizing Git and version control you are making it easy on yourself to go back to fix changes. So embrace the fail faster movement because in tech it’s necessary. The more comfortable you are with making mistakes, the quicker you will learn and the more effective your code will be. Just like checkpoints in video games, Git allows you to create your own checkpoints.
- Trying something new is no longer the risk it used to be. With version control, you can now try new features, incorporate different technologies, and do some A/B testing that might have felt riskier in the past. Users change over time and if your team is not working to either keep up or stay ahead, then you’ll get left behind. That crazy idea that no one is sure will work can now be tried!
- Easy to collaborate by merging work with team members. Before Git, version control systems were clunky and made life difficult on distributed teams. Some companies even shared a single USB drive for their code! With proper use of Git, it doesn’t matter where your developers are located, which part of the code someone is working on, nor the time of day that someone is coding. Think of it like Google Docs for your code.
Snapshots Highlight the History of a Project
Whether you are working alone or on a team it’s important to track changes. Documentation of workflow and processes is important to any project, coding is no different. Have you ever been blamed for something you didn’t do? Version control to the rescue!
Hopefully this list has helped open your eyes to the importance of Git. Since you’re likely asking yourself where to start we thought it would be helpful to provide some steps and resources to get started.
Tips When Learning Git
- Start with the terminology
- Just like any programming language, learning the terminology is very important. Once you understand things like commit is similar to save, then it will be easier to understand resources and tutorials.
- Take it slow
- Start by using it on solo projects and once you’ve begun to feel comfortable with the basics of add, commit, push, and pull, then consider coding with a friend.
- Practice, practice, and practice some more
- Just like any coding language, the initial learning curve can feel daunting but over time becomes easier and easier. Usage of version control in your projects will eventually become like a sibling to you; there will be times that you love it and then every once in a while it will drive you crazy.
Additional Resources
9 Reasons Even Solo Developers Should Use Source Control
Pluralsight | Code School: Git Real