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Git & GitHub: The Foundation of Docs Like Code

In this part, we will quickly have an brief introduction of Git and GitHub.

What is Git?

Git is a distributed version control system designed to track changes in files. It serves two primary purposes:

  1. Version Control

    Git acts like a "time machine" for your files, recording every change you make. This allows you to:

    • Easily revert to a previous version if anything goes wrong with the current state.
    • Quickly compare changes across different versions for better understanding and tracking.
    • Keep a comprehensive history of your project, ensuring all updates are well-documented.

  2. Collaboration

    Git enables multiple people to work on the same project simultaneously without conflicts. Key features include:

    • Branching: Creating separate branches allows each participant to work independently without affecting others' edits or the main project.

    • Merging: Seamlessly combine changes from different branches into the main branch or another target branch, ensuring that all contributions are integrated smoothly.

    • Conflict Resolution: When two people modify the same part of a file, Git provides mechanisms to identify and resolve these conflicts, ensuring that the final version reflects the intended changes from all contributors.

What is GitHub?

GitHub is a platform built on top of Git, offering tools for collaboration and code hosting:

  • Host Repositories: Store your code and documentation in the cloud.
  • Collaborate: Use Pull Requests to propose changes and discuss improvements.
  • Social Coding: Star, Fork, and contribute to open-source projects.

What is Open Source?

Open source means making the source code of a project publicly available, allowing anyone to view, modify, and distribute it. Some benefits of open source include:

  • Innovation: Encourages collaboration and sharing of ideas.
  • Quality: More eyes on the code lead to fewer bugs and better solutions.
  • Community: Builds a global network of contributors and users.

Famous Open Source Projects

Here are some well-known open-source projects you might have heard of:

anki

deepseek

vscode

language-tool-project

How Git and GitHub Relate to Docs Like Code

In the Docs Like Code workflow:

  • Git is used to version control your documentation, just like code.
  • GitHub provides a platform for collaboration, allowing multiple contributors to work on the same documentation.
  • Open Source principles align with Docs Like Code: transparency, collaboration, and sharing.