Chapter 3. Purpose of Version Control

Table of Contents

The Problem
Homebrewed Solutions
Enter Version Control Systems
Purpose of Version Control Systems
General Features of Version Control Systems

The Problem

Modifying Computer Files

The most fundamental task on a computer is file modification. It is done in writing letters, writing books, creating web pages, writing documentation, programming software, drawing graphics, generating spreadsheets, working with digital imagery, and any other growing number of tasks being made possible on modern computers. The problem is there is no way to keep track of changes made to all these important files. Tracking changes to files can be beneficial and even a necessity to tasks that require backing up older versions, undoing previous changes, or documenting the changes of a file.