Version control

You wouldn't build a house without a safety harness. Don't code without version control.

Version control systems

Git commands the VCS market, with others being relegated to legacy holdouts.

System	Superpower	Flaw
Git	Distributed, branching magic	Steep learning curve
SVN	Centralized simplicity	No local commits
Mercurial	Easier than Git	Lost the VCS wars
CVS	Pioneered versioning	File-level tracking

Hosting platforms

This is where the code lives.

Platform	Preferred by	Free Private Repos	Killer Feature
GitHub	Tech startups	Yes, up to 3 collaborators	Copilot integration, Actions CI/CD
GitLab	Enterprise	Yes️	Built-in DevOps pipeline
Azure Repos	Microsoft shops	No	Azure integration
Bitbucket	Jira addicts	Yes	Branch permissions

Git Tips

1. Git first, code second: Always git init before writing your first line of code.

2. Console > GUI. Tools like GitHub Desktop are great, but learn these four commands first:

   Terminal

   git add .
   git commit -m "save point"
   git push
   git checkout -b

   Why? Because when your IDE's Git plugin mysteriously breaks (it will), you'll need to debug like a pro.

3. Your team's rules > textbook gitflow: You might love feature branches, but every company has their own "sacred" workflow. Observe first, then suggest improvements later.

Pick a platform, initialize your repo, and start small. The best version control setup is the one you'll actually use.