Recommended/best practices for using version control in your projects.
The process of storing multiple versions of the same file on a shared storage system is called version control. It helps you, your team, and your whole organization keep track of changes to files as they happen. Version control is a strategy for shared storage systems. It allows multiple people to contribute to a project and make changes without worrying about who has the latest version or whether someone will overwrite their work.
The first step in implementing a version control strategy is to create repositories and working copies. A repository is a database that contains all the files needed to complete the project, and a working copy is an exact copy of the repository on one person's computer. While this May sound like a difficult and technical process, Small Tree is here to walk you through the process for implementing a strategy, and getting you working with shared storage systems as quickly as possible.
Implementation of a Strategy
Once you have your repositories and working copies, you need to determine whether you want to use distributed or centralized version control. Distributed version control means every contributor has their own repository with their own history, while centralized version control means there is only one central repository and everyone’s changes are recorded in that single source.
In either case, it is important to be aware of conflicts, either of the project files or individual assets. A conflict occurs when two contributors make changes on different lines of the same file at the same time. Conflicts can be resolved by merging changes together or choosing which changes should override others’ work.
Good version control practices make it much easier to ensure that everyone's work can be integrated smoothly into the project without conflicts. Some simple tips include: using descriptive commit messages, making each commit accessible to all members working on the current project, and strong behind the storage communication with your team.
The different versions of the file are stored in a repository, which can be local or remote. You make changes to the file in your working copy, which is a version of the file that you have on your local computer. Your working copy is updated from the repository when you commit changes from your working copy to the repository, and it's updated with the repository when you update your working copy with new changes from other people's commits.
Version Control Strategy
File versioning is an essential part of file management in every industry. It is especially important when multiple people are working on the same document. But what about situations where multiple people are working on different files, which all belong to the same project?
For example, let's say you're working on a project with a graphic design component. You work on some text, but the designer is working on a logo. You both need access to these files, but they don't have any direct connection and you'll never be directly editing one another's work.
That's when shared storage comes into play, and version control strategy becomes an even more important consideration.
In order to ensure that everyone has access to the most updated versions of the files they need without accidentally overwriting someone else's work, you need a version control strategy that works for your team and your shared storage system.
Distributed vs. Centralized Version Control
Repositories and working copies
Version control is a key part of any development project managed by multiple people. It's even more important when you're sharing storage systems with your team. As much as good version control practices are important in any development project, they become even more so when people are working on the same files at the same time, and especially if they're doing so in different locations.
In distributed version control systems (DVCS), every user has a complete copy of the repository; this means that there isn't one central repository that everyone uses—and it also means that they can work even if they're disconnected from network access. In centralized version control systems (CVCS), there is one central repository and everyone shares it; users can only work if they're connected to this main server.
Conflicts occur when you or someone else makes changes to another person's commit in a way that doesn't automatically merge with other changes. When this happens, you have to manually figure out how to merge them together
At the heart of any version control system is a repository—a place where all the versions of a file are stored. The repository is usually stored in a remote location separate from your computer. This means that if something happens to your computer (like it gets stolen), you'll still have access to all your files in the repository. It also means that multiple people can work on one file at the same time without overwriting each other's changes, because each person has their own working copy.
When someone starts working on a new project, they create a local working copy of the file and then can edit this copy however they like. When they're ready, they use the version control system to record these changes ("commit" them) so that they'll
Distributed vs. Centralized Version Control
How will changes get into the repository? Will there be one person who pushes changes, or do you want everyone to have write access? Do you want to allow anyone to create their own branches?