Version control is a system that records changes to files over time so developers can track history, collaborate safely, and revert to earlier states when needed.

To make this process smooth, we have introduced the concept of Version Control.

How does this make a developer's life easier?

1. It helps us collaborate with our team.

2. A team of developers can easily manage multiple versions of the software.

3. It increases productivity.

How does Version Control help us?

Now developers can track their code and see what changes were made before. They can easily switch to previous versions of their software.

In a team, each developer knows what changes other team members have made to the project code.

Now we understand what "Version Control" is meant to be:

Controlling the different versions of our software, whether to switch to a previous version or to add features and fix bugs.

What Existed Before "Version Control"

Teams relied on a pen drive to store their software, which was passed between team members.

Now you can see the problems:

1. No History or Accountability - No one knew what changed, who changed it, or why it was changed.

2. Impossible Team Collaboration - Parallel development was nearly impossible. Teams had to work in a linear fashion, which slowed progress significantly.

3. Loss of Changes - If a system crashed or a pen drive was corrupted, days or weeks of work could be lost forever.

And much more...

Examples of Version Control Tools

Now that we understand why Version Control exists and what things were like before, let's look at some modern Version Control tools we have today.

1. Git

• Distributed version control system

• Every developer has a full copy of the repository

• Supports branching, merging, and offline work

• Industry standard for modern development

Used by: startups, enterprises, open-source projects

2. Subversion (SVN)

• Centralized version control system

• One central repository

• Older than Git, simpler model

Used by: legacy enterprise systems, government projects

3. Mercurial

• Distributed like Git

• Simpler command set

• Less popular today

Used by: some large-scale projects (historically)

4. Perforce

• Centralized (with advanced features)

• Handles very large files efficiently

• Common in game development

Used by: game studios, large enterprises

5. CVS

• One of the earliest version control systems

• Centralized

• Mostly obsolete now

Used by: historical/legacy systems only

6. Bazaar

• Distributed version control

• Designed to be user-friendly

• Declining usage