Version Control with Git
The Big Idea
Before you write a single line of code, you need to understand how developers save and share their work. Git and GitHub are the tools every developer on the planet uses for this. By the end of this primer, you'll be able to explain what they are, why they exist, and how they fit together.
Your Roadmap
| Section | Time | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Watch | 5 min | ⚑ Required |
| Understand | 15 min | ⚑ Required |
| Check your understanding with a chatbot | 15 min | ⚑ Required |
| Reflect | 15 min | ⚑ Required |
| Go further | Open | ◎ Optional |
Watch
Version Control with Git (7 min)
Understand
What is version control?
Version control is software that tracks every change you make to a project over time. Think of it like a save system in a video game — except instead of overwriting your last save, it keeps every save you've ever made. You can go back to any point in the history of your project.
It also lets multiple people work on the same project at the same time without overwriting each other's work.
What is Git?
Git is the most widely used version control software. You download and install it on your computer. It runs locally — no internet required.
What is GitHub?
GitHub is a website where you store your Git projects online. It acts as a remote backup and makes it easy to share your work and collaborate with others.
The key difference:
| Git | GitHub | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Software on your computer | A website |
| What it does | Tracks changes locally | Stores your project online |
| Analogy | Your save file | The cloud backup |
Almost everything you build at Dev Academy will use Git to track changes and GitHub to store and share it.
Check your understanding with a chatbot
This is not a one-shot prompt. You are going to have a conversation with your chatbot to test and deepen what you just learned.
Open your chatbot and work through these steps in order:
Step 1 — Tell it where you are:
"I just watched a short intro to Git and GitHub. I'm learning web development for the first time. I want you to check my understanding by asking me questions — don't explain anything yet, just ask."
Step 2 — Answer its questions in your own words. Don't look anything up. Just answer from what you remember. It's fine to say "I'm not sure."
Step 3 — Ask it to fill the gaps:
"Based on my answers, what's the one thing I'm most unclear on? Explain just that one thing in plain language with an analogy."
Step 4 — Check your analogy:
"I think Git is like [your analogy]. Is that accurate? What does my analogy miss?"
Why this works: Retrieving information from memory — even imperfectly — moves it into long-term memory far more effectively than re-reading. The chatbot becomes a study partner, not an answer machine.
Reflect
In your reflection file, answer these four questions:
- What's the difference between Git and GitHub?
- Can you think of an analogy to describe them?
- Do you think you would still remember the difference a week from now if you didn't revisit the material?
- Did you stick to the timebox suggestions? If not, why not?
How to know you've nailed it
| Level | You can... | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 🪨 | Intro Climb | Explain what Git is and what GitHub is in your own words | ⚑ Required |
| 🧗 | Core Ascent | Describe the difference between Git and GitHub using your own analogy | ⚑ Required |
| 🏔️ | Summit | Explain why version control exists and what problem it solves for teams | ◎ Optional |
The Big Idea (revisited)
Git tracks changes on your computer. GitHub stores them online. Together they are how every developer on the planet saves, shares, and collaborates on code. You'll use both every day from here on.
Go further
◎ Optional — explore these if you want to go deeper.
- Git and GitHub for Poets — a longer, more detailed introduction
- Search: "why do developers use version control" to understand the professional context