Exploring Version Control in DevOps for Modern Software Development

15-Second Summary: Version control is the backbone of modern software engineering that helps developers maintain a record of code changes and software versions. However, its importance is often overlooked, and this blog aims to change that. We’ll talk about its concepts, benefits, practical tips, tools, and why it’s a game changer for dev teams. Read on!

Walking a tightrope but no safety net– that’s what it feels like when you make changes to the code without a version control system.

One wrong step and everything could come crashing down. Developers hoped that the initial design was perfect because there was no going back.

The only thing they had was an endless list of unidentifiable errors and overwritten code changes.

Version control brought order to this chaos by keeping a meticulous record of every code change you made. When you find a bug and need to figure out when and how it came, you can dig into the version history to pinpoint the exact moment things took a turn.

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It also means that you can simply roll back to the last working version.

According to the State of Platform Engineering Report by Puppet, more than 90% of software development teams use a version control system.

The need for version source control is unquestionable for DevOps services; the important question being – how should you start using it?

Let’s understand all about version control in a humanly understandable way!

What is Version Control?

Version control, aka source control, is the process of tracking, monitoring, and managing ANY changes made to the software codebase throughout the software development life cycle.

With a new code change, there's a new version of the software. Hence, as the name suggests, version control keeps a tab on all these versions within a database.

In a way, you could think of version control management as an advanced “CTRL+Z” feature. Apart from undoing recent changes, you can also go back to the earlier versions of the software product.

So, if you need back a particular functionality that you deleted some months ago, you can find it with version control.

Moreover, version control is also a core tool for team collaboration, as everyone has a common whiteboard to work on the project. Developers can see who made what changes and when, and work on the same page without any confusion or misunderstanding.

What is a Version Control System?

As one of the integral tools of DevOps, a version control system (VCS) automates the process of version control, i.e., managing different versions of a codebase. Also known as source code manager (SCM), it eliminates the need for manually tracking code changes or using custom automation scripts.

A VCS allows developers to add, delete, and modify code with a log entry and required images. Team members can find out these changes within the log and recreate the software as it was by restoring the codebase.

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Key Concepts of a Version Control System

Before you get started with version control system tools, it’s important to learn the lingo. Take a look at the important terms associated with a VCS:

• Repository: A central location that stores and shows all project versions and history.
• Branching: Parallel development for multiple versions of a project to coexist.
• Tagging: Creating named markers for specific points in the project's history.
• Merging: Combining changes from one branch into another.
• Commit: Saving changes into the version history with a description.
• Clone: Creating a local copy of a remote repository.
• Fork: Creating an independent copy of a repository.
• Pull Request: Proposing changes to merge from one branch or fork into another.
• Blame/Annotate: Identifying who made specific changes in the code.
• Rollback/Revert: Returning to a previous state of the codebase.
• Stash: Temporarily saving changes that are not ready for committing.
• Changelog: A record of all changes made to a project for documentation.

How Does a Version Control System Work?

In order to follow end-to-end workflows of the software development process and track developers’ activities, you need to use a version control software with code editors. After that, the process is pretty simple.

1. First of all, a team initiates a project on the system.
2. Then they build their dedicated repositories and accordingly structure the project folders.
3. Based on the master branch, developers create new branches to work independently on code revisions until the changes are ready to deploy on the staging environment.
4. Team members then consolidate and document the changes on stage.
5. Once they push the code, the repository logs all the modifications and enables tracking.

Different Types of Version Control Software

Version or revision control software comes in different types, each with its own set of advantages and use cases:

Local Version Control Systems (LVCS)

A local VCS uses simple scripts or manual copies to manage multiple versions of files and codebases on a local machine of an individual.

Centralized Version Control Systems (CVCS)

Centralized version control systems have a central, unified server to store and manage all the code versions. As a result, collaboration fosters among multiple developers but with a single point of failure.

Distributed Version Control Systems (DVCS)

Distributed version control systems are the most popular as they allow team members to have their own copy of the repository. These systems are faster and incur way fewer errors than the other two types.

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Benefits of Using a Version Control System

Did you know VCSs have helped development teams save over 45 hours/month on average in manual file management and documentation tasks?

Let's now understand why having a version management software for your DevOps architecture is not just beneficial, but an absolute necessity:

Better Code Management – Developers get a comprehensive history of changes tagged with detailed information. As a result, code becomes much easier to track and manage.

Improved Collaboration – Since multiple team members can work on the same project at the same time without stepping on each other’s toes, VCS facilitates collaboration and enhances teamwork.

Increased Transparency – Programming version control systems increase accountability and transparency by tracking who made what changes and exactly at what point.

Avoiding Data Loss – As developers can save all the code changes and modifications, version control software helps in saving valuable data if a problem or mistake occurs.

Enhanced Security – VCSs save and protect critical data, often with a backup and recovery plan. You can also set roles and permissions to ensure that only authorized individuals can make changes.

Popular Version Control Systems and Tools

The 2023 State of DevOps survey revealed that only 4% of development teams create customized version control management software from scratch. The rest of them use one of the below-mentioned software products.

So, here are the top five examples of version control systems available in the market:

1. Git

Git and version control integration is by far the most popular choice designed for speed and flexibility. It's an open-source, distributed VCS featuring multiple repositories, staging environments, and local branching.

Best Features

• Efficient branching and merging capabilities
• Integration with hosting platforms like GitHub and GitLab
• Support for non-linear development

2. Apache Subversion (SVN)

The Subversion version control system is a centralized VCS. It's most suitable for large-scale development projects that have a number of non-mergeable binary files.

Best Features

• A single point of contact with easy set-up
• Excellent binary support
• Atomic commits to prevent incomplete changes

3. Mercurial

It’s a distributed VCS known for its simplicity and ease of use. It has extensive support for a range of OSs, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD.

Best Features

• Built-in web-based repository browser and visualization
• Extensible with various plug-ins
• Fast and efficient operations even with large repos

4. Team Foundation Server (TFS)

TFS, now part of Azure DevOps, is a Microsoft-developed system that combines centralized and distributed version control capabilities.

Best Features

• Comprehensive suite of development tools
• Work item tracking and project management
• Support for automated builds and testing

5. Perforce (P4)

Perforce is a high-performance version control and source code management platform. It's ideal for enterprise-grade dev teams working with hundreds of branches.

Best Features

• Simplified parallel development with ‘Streams’
• Detailed merge tracking and code integration
• Granular-level access control over files

Best Practices for Using Version Control Software

Over the last year, the implementation of VCS has increased by 27% due to the growing demand for clean and efficient code management.

However, like any other DevOps practice, it requires the right approach and strategies such as:

1. Write clear and concise commit messages that make it easier to track and understand changes over time.
2. Address and resolve conflicts promptly so that they don’t lead to complex issues down the line.
3. Use pull requests or merge requests for a structured way to review and discuss changes.
4. Merge changes from the primary branch into your feature branches on a regular basis to keep them up to date.
5. Create tags or labels to mark important project milestones, versions, or releases.
6. For binary assets, consider using dedicated tools or LFS (Large File Storage) techniques.

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Begin Your Version Control Journey with RadixwebAs a DevOps pioneer of more than a decade, we understand the critical role version control plays in the success of any software development project.At Radixweb, developers can work on the same codebase without disrupting others’ workflows, designers can experiment with various design elements, and project managers have a clear overview of progress – all thanks to our extensive use of version control and source code management systems.And that's the level of efficiency we aspire to bring to your organization.Our DevOps experts are here to simplify the process for you by setting up the right version control system, tailored to your specific workflows and requirements.So, hire our DevOps engineers to embrace the power of version control and make it an integral part of your day-to-day operations.How about you reach out to us for the start? Our experienced professionals will get back to you at the earliest!