SourceControl

Source control, also called version control, is a system that records changes to files over time and enables collaboration by multiple people. It stores a history of a project, allows reverting to earlier states, and documents who made which changes and when.

A typical setup includes a repository containing the full history and a working copy where files are edited. Changes are grouped into commits, each with a description. Branches let independent lines of development exist simultaneously and can be merged back.

There are centralized and distributed version control systems. Centralized systems coordinate with a central server; distributed systems let every user carry a complete copy of history. Git is the dominant distributed system; other examples include Subversion, Mercurial, and Perforce.

Workflows often involve feature branches, code reviews via pull requests or merge requests, and continuous integration that automatically builds and tests on changes. Version control supports tagging releases and maintaining multiple release lines.

Benefits include an audit trail, safer collaboration, the ability to revert or cherry-pick changes, and improved reproducibility. Best practices include meaningful commit messages, small atomic commits, ignoring large or generated files, and protecting critical branches with access controls and reviews.

History: version control has evolved from early systems like RCS and CVS to modern distributed tools such as Git, which was created in 2005 for the Linux kernel. It remains central to modern software development.