How Difficult is it to Learn Git?

Are you curious about learning Git but worried it might be too hard? Of course, the difficulty that comes with learning a new skill is somewhat subjective. The challenges of learning Git depend on factors likeyour coding experience and the complexity of the projects you will be using Git to document, archive, and collaborate on. 

No matter your current schedule or comfort level with Git, plenty of tools are available to help make learning more accessible than you might think.

What is Git?

Git is an open-source programming tool that allows users to effortlessly track the changes made during the early stages of software development. It allows individual programs to keep a record of the changes that they have made to easily restore or back-up earlier versions of their code and it allows teams of developers to record the changes that individual members make to a file or program. Designed to support distributed non-linear workflow, Git allows programmers to create non-linear histories and branched records of how a program has been developed over its time in Git.

Developed in 2005 for Linux, Git has since become one of the most commonly used distributed version control software. In 2022, nearly 94% of computer programmers report using Git as a vital part of their regular programming activities. This means that learning Git is an important skill for anyone hoping to undertake collaborative development projects, particularly in open-source communities where it is expected that many development histories will be documented using Git.

Read more about what Git is and why you should learn it. 

What Can You Do with Git?

Git can be used to ensure that you have a detailed record of all the changes being made to a file of code. Individual users can take advantage of this documentation to quickly restore or reconstruct prior versions of code or to see where specific changes were made if those changes came with unintended consequences. Groups of developers can use Git to collaborate more effectively on a shared file as the system will keep track of all the changes made independently, providing a stable record of how each developer impacted the file over time.

In addition, thanks to the prevalence of GitHub, learning Git will significantly expand a developer's ability to store and share their software. Since each instance of Git on a computer stores its own directory and history, the documentation on your programs is not operating at the whims of an external source or mainframe, making the histories far more stable. In addition, GitHub lets users publish and share code effortlessly, making community-driven collaboration all the more productive. Git and GitHub help fuel community-driven software development, and learning how to use these tools will ensure that you, too, can participate in these projects.

What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning Git?

The most challenging part of learning Git will depend on the context in which you are learning it. Suppose you are learning Git on its own as an experienced programmer. In that case, the most challenging part will likely involve learning how to use its more elaborate documentation and collaboration tools to document large amounts of different versions of programs that are being stored non-linearly. For inexperienced programmers, the most challenging part of learning Git will be learning to program, while learning Git will come naturally as you build a knowledge of how to code.

How Does Learning Git Compare to Other Web Development Tools?

While other distributed version control tools are available, Git has so thoroughly established itself as an industry-standard tool that they will see almost no professional use in 2022. While students can explore their options outside of relatively niche circumstances, learning Git will be far more profitable in the long term.

Another consideration when learning Git is whether it is the right development tool or skill to complement your existing skills. Git is far more narrow in its function than other web design tools, but it is an integral part of more advanced development processes. This means that when choosing the web development tool you want to learn, there are a few things to consider.

The first is whether or not you intend to learn coding in general, and if so, what elements of coding you are interested in learning. There is no reason to learn Git without also learning how to code, so you’ll need to decide if you want to learn skills like HTML/CSS for web development, Python for data science, or SQL for database maintenance (among many others). While more Git training is provided in an introductory coding course, students should consider how they want their coding education to develop.

Students may also be interested in learning coding tools like Emmet and Visual Studio Code. Emmet is a set of HTML/CSS coding plug-ins that will significantly improve the speed and efficiency of coding for basic web development projects. Visual Studio Code is the most commonly used source code editor on the market today. Learning Visual Studio Code can also assist in your Git training, as it has an embedded Git function. Learning one of these tools won’t prevent you from learning the others, but how students prioritize learning different tools is essential.

Web Development Training

Nothing will make learning Git easier than learning it alongside programming skills such as Web Development. If you already have web development experience, learning the basic features of Git will be incredibly easy and the context-sensitive skills will develop over time. For everyone else, the best way to learn Git is to learn it while learning how to code, which will help ensure that your training goes smoothly and that you are learning complementary skills at a reasonable pace.

The best way to learn web development is through professional skills training, such as the bootcamps and career certificate programs offered by Noble Desktop. In these web development classes, offered both in-person and through live online instruction, students will learn the fundamentals of computer programming, a skill set that includes Git training.

Learn Git with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Since Git is an open-source efficiency tool, you’ll rarely find a course that strictly teaches students how to use it. Instead, students will learn Git as an essential complementary skill in more formal web development or programming course. This means that students looking to learn are aspiring to be programmers or developers, meaning that web development training will likely be a part of their future. To assist with this, Noble offers a wide variety of web development courses designed to fit your needs as a student.

At Noble, students can learn Git as part of their front end development training curriculum. In these training courses, students will learn the techniques required to program the client-facing, interactive web application elements, such as a webpage. In these classes, students will primarily focus on learning how to program using HTML/CSS and JavaScript, though advanced courses will also teach languages like React. In Noble’s Front End Web Development Certificate program, students will receive hands-on training in several important web development skills, including tracking and managing file changes using Git. With this training, students will be able to see how their programs develop over time, documenting a history of their work, and they will be able to see how Git is used to assist them in collaborative development projects. Since this is a career-focused course, the class assumes no prior coding experience, making this a good place to start for students hoping to enter the field of web development.

Noble also offers a more immersive Full Stack Web Development Certificate program that will teach students all the skills needed to work as Full Stack Web Developers (developers who handle both the client- and server-side elements of a webpage). While a part of this will be learning how to use Git to track and document changes to code, the vast majority of the course is comprised of intensive web development training courses in which students will learn HTML/CSS, JavaScript, Node, Express, MongoDB, React, and SQL. This course is perfect for anyone who wants to learn all the essential aspects of web development. Since this is a career-focused course, students will receive professionalization assistance, including one-on-one career mentorship and portfolio-building seminars.