Git

Git is an essential, distributed version control system that is the standard for modern software development. It allows you to track the history of changes to your codebase over time. At its core, Git works with a repository, which is a directory that contains your project files and a hidden `.git` subdirectory where Git stores all the history and metadata. The basic workflow involves making changes to your files and then 'committing' those changes. A commit is a snapshot of your project at a specific point in time. Each commit has a unique ID and a commit message where you describe the changes you made. This creates a detailed history, allowing you to revert to previous versions of your code if something goes wrong. Git's real power comes from its branching capabilities. A branch is an independent line of development. You can create a new branch to work on a new feature or a bug fix without affecting the main line of development (often called the `main` or `master` branch). Once your work on the branch is complete and tested, you can 'merge' it back into the main branch. This branching and merging model is fundamental to collaborative workflows, allowing multiple developers to work on different parts of a project simultaneously without interfering with each other. Platforms like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket provide remote hosting for Git repositories, adding features like pull requests and code reviews to facilitate teamwork.