Version control is the practice of recording changes to files over time so you can recall specific versions later. For researchers it means you can answer questions like:
What did my analysis script look like six months ago?
Who changed this parameter, and why?
Can I roll back to the version that produced the results in my paper?
Git is the industry-standard version control tool. It is free, open-source, and runs on every operating system. GitHub (and its alternatives GitLab and Bitbucket) provides a cloud home for your Git repositories, enabling collaboration and backup.
Tools covered in this section¶
Tool | What it is | Why we use it |
|---|---|---|
Git | Local version control system | Track changes, create history, work offline |
GitHub | Cloud hosting for Git repos | Backup, collaboration, pull requests, CI/CD |
GitHub Flow | A lightweight branching workflow | Simple, team-friendly process for contributing changes |
Chapters in this section¶
Git Basics — Install Git, understand the core model, and master everyday commands
GitHub Flow — Push to GitHub, create branches, open pull requests, and handle merge conflicts