Lecture 5:- Lifecycle of a Change

The lifecycle of a change in a version control system like Git typically follows these stages:

Working Directory: This is the initial stage where developers make changes to their files within their local working directory. These changes could be adding new files, modifying existing files, or deleting files.

Staging Area (Index): After making changes in the working directory, developers can select which changes they want to include in the next commit. This selection process is called staging. Staging allows developers to group related changes together before making a commit. The staging area acts as a middle ground between the working directory and the repository, holding the changes to be committed.

Commit: When developers are satisfied with the changes in the staging area, they create a commit. A commit is a snapshot of the changes made to the files in the staging area at that specific moment. It also includes a commit message that describes the changes made in the commit. Each commit has a unique identifier, typically a hash, which helps track and reference the commit in the future.

Local Repository: Once a commit is made, it becomes a part of the local repository. The local repository contains the complete history of the project, including all previous commits. Each commit points to its parent commit(s), forming a commit history.

Remote Repository (Optional): In a collaborative environment, developers often use a remote repository hosted on platforms like GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket. Developers can push their local commits to the remote repository to share their changes with other team members. The remote repository serves as a central location where everyone can access the latest changes and collaborate on the project.

Pull Requests (Optional): In projects with multiple contributors, developers might use pull requests (or merge requests) to propose changes to the main branch of the remote repository. Pull requests provide a mechanism for code review and discussion before integrating the changes into the main codebase.

Merge or Rebase (Optional): After a pull request is reviewed and approved, the changes are typically merged into the main branch of the remote repository. Git offers different strategies for merging changes, such as the standard merge or rebase, to incorporate the changes from one branch into another.

Continuous Integration (CI) / Continuous Deployment (CD) (Optional): In modern development workflows, CI/CD pipelines are often employed to automate building, testing, and deploying code changes. These pipelines help maintain code quality and ensure that changes are smoothly integrated into the main branch and deployed to production environments.

Throughout this lifecycle, developers can continue making changes, creating new commits, and collaborating with others, creating a seamless and controlled history of the project's evolution. Git's version control capabilities enable teams to work efficiently, maintain code quality, and easily track and manage changes over time.