Git
A version control system that tracks every change to your files, letting you save snapshots, undo mistakes, and collaborate without overwriting each other's work.
What It Is
Git is a tool that keeps a complete history of every change you make to your project files. Each time you “commit,” Git saves a snapshot of your project at that moment. You can go back to any previous snapshot, compare what changed between versions, and work on experimental features without risking your stable code. Git works on your local machine and does not require an internet connection. It tracks changes in a hidden folder inside your project directory, building a timeline of your project’s entire history.
Why It Matters
Every serious software project uses Git, and as an operator building with AI tools, you will interact with it regularly. Git protects you from losing work: if you break something, you can revert to a working version. It also enables collaboration, letting multiple people work on the same project without conflicts. When you deploy a site through Vercel, Git is the mechanism that triggers the deployment. Understanding basic Git commands (add, commit, push, pull) is one of the highest-leverage skills for any builder.
In Practice
A typical Git workflow: you make changes to your files, run “git add” to stage them, run “git commit” with a message describing what you did, and “git push” to upload your changes to GitHub. If something goes wrong, “git log” shows your history and you can revert to a previous state. Claude Code and other AI tools can help you learn Git commands as you go.