Introduction

Version control systems (VCS) are software tools that help developers manage changes to source code or other types of files over time. They provide a way to track and manage different versions of code, as well as to collaborate with other developers on a project.

The primary function of a VCS is to keep track of changes made to files over time, and to allow developers to access and revert to previous versions of the code if necessary. This helps developers to work more efficiently, as they can experiment with new ideas and features without worrying about breaking the existing codebase.

VCS also provide a way for developers to collaborate on a project, by allowing multiple developers to work on the same codebase simultaneously. Changes made by different developers can be merged together, and conflicts can be resolved by comparing and combining different versions of the code.

Some popular VCS include Git, SVN, and Mercurial. These tools provide a range of features and capabilities for managing code, including branching and merging, tagging and labeling, and code review and collaboration. They are an essential tool for modern software development, and are used in both open-source and commercial software projects.