Best Version Control Software

Version control software tracks changes in software development projects, allowing users to collaborate and change the same files without compromising the overall build. Also known as revision control or source control systems, version control systems enable developers to work simultaneously on code. Each user or portion of a larger development team can isolate their own work through what are known as branches. By branching code into isolated segments, users can protect good code while tinkering with feature additions or fixes. These branches can then be merged together when they are finished. Merge to merge, a version history is maintained so developers can revert back to an earlier build if severe problems appear throughout the process. These systems also alert users to errors and conflicts on code merges, giving developers the opportunity to resolve issues. Version control software allows developers to automatically track their work, see a history of all changes, and access previous versions of a project when necessary. This functionality can be thought of as the development equivalent of keeping progressive drafts of a writing project. All code changes and branches are kept in a repository.

Version control solutions streamline the development process for both solo developers and full development teams. Users can manage code for multiple projects simultaneously, accomplish multiple projects at once, and maintain a history of changes. These systems must often be paired with the right version control hosting software, which hosts numerous code repositories on the cloud. While version control software provides the raw functionality for maintaining version history and enabling developer collaboration, version control hosting software hosts the master code repository on which they can make and track changes. To make interfacing with version control systems more intuitive, developers often use version control clients as part of their version control framework. Version control clients enhance the features of version control systems by keeping track of multiple projects, providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for easier control, and allowing development integration to move faster.

Key Benefits of Version Control Software

• Boost productivity and streamline development by facilitating simultaneous development collaboration
• Keep track of project changes as development progresses with version history
• Keep existing builds protected while making changes to projects via branches

Version control software is virtually necessary for any modern development environment. This software significantly reduces development time and promotes efficient teamwork by enabling simultaneous development collaboration. Developers also save time and energy thanks to these systems that work to constantly maintain version histories, protecting successful progress from being compromised by new code issues.

Simultaneous collaboration — Thanks to version control systems’ code branching functionality, developers can work on different sections of an overall build simultaneously. Changes made by each developer can be isolated from the rest of the project until they reach a finished state. Once finished, developers can safely merge their branches. Version control software also notifies users of errors or merge conflicts to resolve them safely.

Version history — Version control software provides developers with a constantly maintained version history for their projects. This protects projects from costly errors by preserving iterative progress, which developers can revert back to if necessary. Beyond keeping projects safe, version history also provides developers with a roadmap to keep track of changes for better organization. Version history can even help developers track down bugs—if a bug exists in one version of the project but not another, users can zero in on the possible changes that might have caused the bug.

Version control software presents vital mechanisms for development teams of all sizes. These systems’ simultaneous collaboration functions are as useful to teams of 5 as they are to teams of 50. Even solo developers rely on version control systems to facilitate streamlined development.

Software development teams — Software development teams use version control software to achieve organized collaboration and parallel development via branching. With version control systems, team members can work on separate tasks simultaneously while keeping the master repository intact. They can also use version control history to track changes made by other members of the team, helping keep everyone on the same page.

Solo developers — The benefits of version control software extend beyond team collaboration. Solo developers rely on version control systems’ branching functionality to safely make changes to their projects without breaking their builds. If a branch merge or other issue ruins a project, solo developers can easily revert to a prior version to preserve their overall progress.