Mariot Tsitoara - Beginning Git and GitHub: A Comprehensive Guide to Version Control, Project Management, and Teamwork for the New Developer

Any source code or other supplementary material referenced by the author in this book is available to readers on GitHub via the books product page, located at www.apress.com/9781484253120 . For more detailed information, please visit http://www.apress.com/source-code .

This book was written with a clear goal in mind: to be the book that I needed to read when I started my career in tech. Each chapter was crafted so that you will only be taught what you need to know as a beginner. It isnt a full reference book, but it can get you far enough to have a big impact on your career.

After reading this book, you will have the best tools for Version Control and Project Management.

The targeted audience of this book is the absolute beginner with Git and GitHub and the people who have used them a little but want to know more. If you are searching for the best way to quick-start in the right direction, this book is for you.

Git is a very easy tool to learn, but you need to work with it to get the hang of it. The best way to learn is to directly use it on one of your real projects. Just reading the book and not doing any of the exercises will lengthen your learning curve.

Id like to thank my parents, Marie Jeanne and Tsitoara, for the amazing opportunities that they have given to me. Without their help and sacrifices, I would not be where I am today.

Thanks a lot also to my brothers and sisters, Alice, Elson, Thierry, Eliane, Annick, and Mamitiana, for being such amazing role models and for their constant support. To all my friends, Christino, Laza, Miandry, Mihaja, Miora, and Rindra, with whom I grew up and who taught me so much, I dedicate this book to you.

Almost everything I know about Git was taught to me by my coworkers. Thank you for being so helpful and a joy to work with.

This book wouldnt have seen the light of day if not for the amazing guidance of Nancy, Alexander, Louise, and Jim. Thank you so much!

About the Author

Mariot Tsitoara

is a Python and JavaScript developer with a passion for the Open Web and Data. He has been involved with Mozilla as a rep and a tech speaker since 2015 and has spoken extensively about Open Source and new technologies, including Rust, WebVR, and WebAssembly. Currently based in Bordeaux, he is constantly coding small, specialized tools for education. You can find him on Twitter @mariot_tsitoara.

About the Technical Reviewer

Alexander Chinedu Nnakwue

has a background in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and has been a frontend developer for over 3 years working on both web and mobile technologies. He also has experience as a technical author, writer, and reviewer. He enjoys programming for the Web, and occasionally, you can also find him playing soccer. He was born in Benin City and is currently based in Lagos, Nigeria.

This is our first jump into Version Control Systems (VCSs). By the end of this chapter, you should know about Version Control, Git, and its history. The main objective is to know in which situations is Version Control needed and why Git is a safe choice.

As the name implies, Version Control is about the management of multiple versions of a project. To manage a version, each change (addition, edition, or removal) to the files in a project must be tracked. Version Control records each change made to a file (or a group of files) and offers a way to undo or roll back each change.

For an effective Version Control, you have to use tools called Version Control Systems. They help you navigate between changes and quickly let you go back to a previous version when something isnt right.

One of the most important advantages of using Version Control is teamwork. When more than one person is contributing to a project, tracking changes becomes a nightmare, and it greatly increases the probability of overwriting another persons changes. With Version Control, multiple people can work on their copy of the project (called branches) and only merge those changes to the main project when they (or the other team members) are satisfied with the work.