Git Version Control Basics: What is a Version Control System?

Version control solves the problem of "breaking changes and being unable to revert" and multi - person collaboration. A Version Control System (VCS) is an "intelligent filing cabinet" that can record modifications, support rollbacks, and enable collaboration. VCS is divided into three categories: local (only for a single device), centralized (relying on a central server, such as SVN), and distributed (with a complete local copy, such as Git, which can be used offline and has flexible branches). Git is a mainstream distributed VCS developed by Linus Torvalds. Its core advantages include: fast speed, strong branch management (supporting parallel development), and tracking file differences (saving space). Its core concepts include: repository (local/remote), commit (snapshot recording modifications), and branch (parallel development path). Git can handle scenarios such as multi - person collaboration, historical rollbacks, and parallel development. It is an essential skill for programmers, making development more organized and efficient.