Trust The Processing
This week as part of my web-development course, I learned how to use Git. Git is a version control system that tracks file changes, allowing a developer to go back to any previous “commit” or saved instance of the file or project. In the past, before I knew “how to Git” (kinda sounds like a new dance on Tik Tok. Let’s make it happen), I would rename and save files in a local directory on my computer. I had a scientific approach to naming the files. For instance, a backup version of index.html would be “shmindex.html” or something a bit more relevant such as “this_one_for_real_doe_index.html”. Regardless of my own, seemingly fail-proof, version control system, Git is a much-welcomed tool on my path to becoming a better web developer (I wish someone would bring back the term “Webmaster”).
Another cool component of Git version control is GitHub, an online Git hosting provider. GitHub makes it convenient to collaborate on projects with other developers. A developer can set up their version or “branch” of the project, make edits, “push” and “merge” it to the “main” version. I’ve stumbled upon the GitHub site many times over the years while looking for coding solutions for web ideas that interested me. The GitHub website and terminologies always confused me and as a result, I would skip over the resources and usually end up in a mess of alternative “stack overflow”. I am happy to say that learning Git and GitHub is decoding my confusion.
I almost failed to mention that to learn how to use Git, I had to get familiar with Windows Command Processor (aka “Command Prompt” a command-line interpreter). I’ve neglected this nifty tool in the past due to my being able to achieve my #webgoals through the fancy graphical interface that I have been spoiled with. After learning a few commands in the terminal, I see how in some instances it can be much speedier than clicking in and out of directories and browser windows.
I am currently only using the basic functionality of Git, GitHub, and Command Prompt. As I implement these tools into all my current and future projects, I am looking forward to getting more comfortable with them.
Who knows, maybe we’ll cross paths on a mutual GitHub repository someday.
Thanks for reading,
Julius
Do good things
