Why should I use version control?

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I was reading a blog where the writer said this

"Code doesn’t exist unless it’s checked into a version control system. Use version control for everything you do. Any version control, SVN, Git, even CVS, master it and use it."

I have never used any sort of version control and I do not find it that great. I have googled it and looked at it before, but I just need it put into children's terms if you will please.

As I understand it right now, things like SVN are for storing your code online for a group of users or other developers to have access to the same code. Once you update some code, you can submit the new version and the SVN will keep copies of old code as well as the new ones you update.

Is this the basic idea of it or am I getting it completely wrong?

If I am right, then it might not be much use if I:

  • Do not have other people working on the code.
  • Do not plan on letting others have the code.
cvs version-control svn git
20 Answers

It is 2019. I am encountering objections, at this relative late date, to using Git; objections I see some raising here. This discussion has clarified greatly the imperative of using source control rather than simply making named back-up copies. One key point is source control use even where we've single developer projects. Nobody is perfect. You make mistakes. If you're exceptionally good and smart you're going to be developing more complex apps; but you're still gonna make some mistakes and this handles it. Geez oh Pete! I never use Linux but I think we all respect the great technical intelligence of Linus Torvalds. He recognized the importance of source control and he made key contributions to the inception of Git. That's a summary point for all the reasons given here. Torvalds gets it: source control is very important: use source control. Thanks to all who've commented on this long running topic.

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