What is Version Control?

• Software that records and stores changes
• Formerly the domain of programmers (Subversion, Git, etc), but now widely used
• Google Drive, Dropbox are kinds of version control

What is Version Control?

• Data should be versioned using a version control software
• Version control means every version of every file is retained
• So no need for Draft-NEW, Draft-NEW-Revised, My-File-REVISED-Final-JANUARY, etc

Why use Version Control?

• Reliable (every version of every file is retained and is easy to rollback)
• Distributed (usually pushed to some central host/hub)
• Documented (each change is accompanied by a description)
• Collaborative (what is recorded are changes, so allows for many kinds of changes by many people)

Git

• Developed for keeping track of Linux development (~2005)
• Free and open source software
• A command-line tool, but one integrated into a number of programs and interfaces (e.g. oXygen, GitHub Desktop)

Git

"git" can mean anything, depending on your mood.

• random three-letter combination that is pronounceable, and not actually used by any common UNIX command. The fact that it is a mispronounciation of "get" may or may not be relevant.
• stupid. contemptible and despicable. simple. Take your pick from the dictionary of slang.
• "global information tracker": you're in a good mood, and it actually works for you. Angels sing, and a light suddenly fills the room.
• "goddamn idiotic truckload of sh*t": when it breaks

How it Works

1. You create a repository (i.e. a folder with all of your stuff)
2. Make changes to that repository and save it locally
3. Then you commit that change to the repository (i.e. stage that a change has been made) along with a message saying what you changed
4. Then you push those changes back to the repository
5. Anyone else working in that repository (or if you're working on a different computer) would need to pull the changes from the repository before making new changes

How it Works

Really, this is just the same as emailing a file to yourself or sending an article for revisions

• First you write things
• Then you send it to the journal
• They then send it to an editor who may also make changes
• The editor sends it back to the journal
• The journal sends it back to you

Other Relevant Terms

• Branches and forks make Git much more powerful than sending emails to yourself
• Branches = many editors making different track changes, which then can be sent back and merged into the one article
• Forks = a special kind of branch that is disconnected from the main repository. E.g. an editor making a photocopy, making changes, and then possibly sending it back (or just keeping it to themself)

Version Control Practices

• Incremental changes better than large ones
• Best for text, data, or other small to medium size files; things that are subject to change in ways that are understandable by the computer
• Larger binary files (e.g. PDFs, images, videos) less appropriate

GitHub

• GitHub is a central hub for hosting and making Git repositories available
• Web interface for hosting and sharing code / data / files
• Has a wide range of different organizational features

GitHub

• Free or paid accounts (paid = private repositories); academic accounts available as well

Questions so far?

DiSA-DHIL GitHub

https://github.com/DiSA-DHIL

Co-Lab GitHub

1. Introduction to the organization/repositories
2. Creating your own using the template
3. Introduction to the template
4. Creating a personal access token
5. Cloning the repository in oXygen
6. Create your first person