A system that tracks and manages changes to files over time, allowing multiple people to collaborate on projects while maintaining a history of all modifications. It enables developers to revert changes, compare versions, and work on different features simultaneously.
From 'version' (from Latin 'vertere' meaning to turn) and 'control.' The concept emerged in the 1970s with early systems like SCCS, evolving from simple file backup practices to sophisticated collaborative tools.
Version control is like having a time machine for your code - you can see exactly what changed, when it changed, and who changed it! It's the reason programmers can fearlessly experiment, knowing they can always go back to a working version.
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