The field of Software Engineering is a rapidly changing field. When it comes to software, there are no final versions. All applications and codes are always undergoing continuous development. One of the essential aspects of software engineering is version control.
Version control systems are a special type of software development tool designed to help software developers keep track of any changes done on the source code of any specific application.
Usually, any software project is handled by a team of programmers/ developers. Each of them working on a specific aspect of the overall project. These developers need to write and test code for their assigned tasks without affecting the product’s working version. This is where version control comes to help.
In addition to facilitating parallel development of any software project, when a mistake is made in the code, causing it to break, we can use version control to trace the mistake and go back to the latest working version of the code.
As the software we build grows bigger, more complex, and more versatile, the knowledge of version control and how to use it efficiently is one of the essential skills that any software developer needs to obtain and develop.
In this article, we will take a deep dive into the world of version control, what it means, why it is used, and how to get started with it.
Version Control
Version control, as briefly described above, is a tool that helps developers/ programmers tackle some everyday problems, such as: tracking changes in the code, help to maintain the code, and allow them to work on the same source code files without affecting each other’s workflow.
The concept of version control is often facilitated through special kinds of systems called Version Control Systems (VCS). These systems have gone through many developments over recent years. Sometimes, VCSs are referred to as Source Code Management tools (SCM) or Revision Control Systems (RCS).
Perhaps the most popular VCS today that is used by millions of developers and programmers around the world is Git. Other VCS that are in use today include:
- PerForce.
- Beanstalk.
- Apache Subversion.
- AWS CodeCommit.
Types of Version Control Systems
There are two main types of version control systems: centralized and distributed version control systems.
Centralized version control systems

Centralized version control systems (CVCS) are a type of version control system with a single server containing all versions of the code files – often stored in repositories – the number of contributors (programmers working on the code files), and the backup files for the main project.
This setup allows every contributor to the code to know what the others are working on, making it easier to communicate and manage the people based on a specific task.
The main downside for this setup is that since all the code files and the backup files are stored on one centralized server, if something were to happen to the server, then everything will be lost. Subversion and Perforce are examples of CVCS.
Distributed version control systems

Distributed Version Control Systems (DVCS) such as Git, Mercurial, or Bazaar are version control systems with one or more main server containing the code files.
However, unlike CVCS, in DVCS, the code files are mirrored on every contributors’ computer, meaning each one of them has its own version of the code, including its full history to work on locally.
So, if any server dies, any of the contributors’ repositories can be copied back up to the server once it’s back on and restore the history of the code files. This could be done easily because every clone of the original code files is really a full backup of all the project’s data.
DVCS allows different groups of people in different physical locations to collaborate within the same project simultaneously. This is an advantage that wasn’t possible in centralized systems.
Benefits of Version Control
Using a version control system has various benefits to any team of software developers, including:
1 Generate backups
Perhaps the most vital benefit of using a version control system is that every time a contributor clones a repository, they are, in a sense creating a backup of the current version of that repository. Having multiple backups on different machines is valuable so we can secure the data from losing in the cause of server failure.
2 Test and experiment
In today’s world, any source code is always under development. New features are always added, a new audience to be targeted, and new applications to be developed.
When a team works on a software project, they often have different main project clones to develop new features on, test them, and make sure they function properly before this new feature can be added to the main project. This could save time as different aspects of the code can be developed simultaneously.
3 Keep history and track changes
Having a record of the changes in a specific code file could help you and new contributors understand how a specific part of the code came to be. How did it start and develop over time to reach its current version.
Moreover, if over time, the addition of a certain feature causes difficulties in extending or expanding the project, using version control allows the developers to track that particular feature out and change it or remove it without affecting the project’s functionality.
4 Collaborate and contribute
One of the main benefits of version control systems, especially DVCS, is that it allowed us to contribute to projects we liked despite being in different countries. I would argue that the existence of DVCS was one of the main facilitators that allowed open-source Technology to reach its current success.
Takeaways
Fully understanding version control systems, how they work and using them efficiently is one of the essential skills any programmer or software developers need to work on and grow to excel in their career.
Version control systems could be one of these topics that are quite complex and difficult to wrap your head around. That’s why I decided to create a series of articles tackling the different aspects of version control. The goal of these articles is to get you comfortably and easily started with version control.
The upcoming articles in this series will cover Git basics commands that every developer should know, some advanced commands to make you stand out, and how to use Git efficiently to make your workflow smooth and pleasant.