Is this for me?
To answer this, I need to ask you a few questions:
-
Do your folders have similar files with similar names like
- Photo1.jpg
- Photo1-new.jpg
- Photo1-old.jpg
- Photo2.png
- Photo2(1).png
- Photo2(2).png
- Photo2_edited.png
- Photo2_filtered.png
- Photo2_edited_on_2020-01-15.png
- Assigment1.py
- Assigment1-my_name.py
- Assigment1-I-submitted-this.py
- Document1.doc
- Document1-draft-2.doc
- Document1-final.doc
But they are just different revisions of the same file?
If your answer is yes, then this is for you.
-
Do you often wish to shuttle through time to find a file that you deleted a long time ago?
If your answer is yes, then this is for you. Remember, git can only help you with this in future if you set it up now. This is like insurance for your files.
However, Git is not a file recovery program.But wait, I keep backups of my files, so I can just restore them and be done with it.
Can you browse through the contents of your backups?
Err, I need to restore them first.
Can you go back to the current time after that?
Okay, maybe I should try this out.
Good call. If it doesn’t work out, you can try those newer backup solutions that offer all these. Many internally use git-like technologies. You’ll be paying for the convenience, though.
-
Do you write computer programs or work with software developers?
If your answer is yes, then this is a must-read for you. Especially if you are just starting out.
This guide is beginner-friendly. After all, everyone was a beginner once.
What is Git?
Wikipedia, everyone’s go-to source for quick definitions, says:
Git is free and open source software for distributed version control: tracking changes in any set of files, usually used for coordinating work among programmers collaboratively developing source code during software development. Its goals include speed, data integrity, and support for distributed, non-linear workflows (thousands of parallel branches running on different systems).
But I am not a programmer.
Note the use of the word “usually” in the first sentence. Git is not just for programmers. It is for anyone who wants to -
- keep track of changes to files,
- collaborate with others on a project, or
- contribute to open source projects, software or otherwise.
Many companies use git for their internal projects.
If you are a music creator or a graphic artist or a writer or a translator, you will encounter git at some point in your career, especially if you are working closely with programmers.