Why Learn Git?

Git is the world’s most commonly used application for documenting and archiving version histories of source code. Almost 95% of programmers use Git as an essential tool for modern software development, particularly large-scale projects requiring collaboration and significant upkeep. Outside of being used in virtually every industry that works with software development, learning Git can help you improve your coding efficiency and maintenance. Plus, once you’ve learned Git, you can also master GitHub, an open-source platform for collaborating on software development. 

Here, you’ll learn more about the careers that benefit from Git and how it can enhance your professional life. Regardless of your goals, learning Git is a valuable and impressive skill to add to your resume. 

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.

Common Professional Uses for Git

Recent self-reporting surveys suggest that 95% of all developers and programmers utilize Git to document their code. In addition, GitHub has nearly 83 million users, making it an important tool for professional web development collaboration projects. However, since Git is a documentation tool, it doesn’t allow users to produce anything on its own. This means that no career path will strictly utilize Git. Rather, they will use Git to improve their workflow as web and software developers. A few careers that commonly make use of Git include:

Front End Developer: Front End Developers are responsible for building the client-facing aspects of a web application or webpage, such as interactive elements, visual designs, and ecommerce applications. They will use Git to collaborate with other developers, as most modern web applications are built by teams of developers rather than by individuals. In addition, many Front End Developers will be tasked with maintaining webpages and applications, meaning that they will use Git to track changes made if they need to return to a prior version of their code.

Software Engineer: Software Engineers, as the name implies, build software and other applications using a wide array of coding languages. Given the ubiquitous nature of computers in our daily lives, Software Engineers work in virtually every field. Software Engineers typically work in a deadline-focused environment, ensuring that projects are completed as quickly as is reasonable. They will use programs like Git to ensure their work is as efficient as possible. Unlike Web Developers, Software Engineers will be tasked with learning many different coding languages, but the scope of their projects will be more expansive.

Software Project Manager: Most software development projects, as well as most web development projects, are the work of multiple teams of dozens to hundreds of designers and developers working together to complete a project. These teams will be managed and overseen by Software Project Managers who work to ensure that the project runs smoothly and the project is delivered on time. They will utilize Git as a vital efficiency tool, ensuring that multiple, nonlinear histories of their work is documented. They will also be tasked with coordinating the human element of the design process.

Improve Your Coding Efficiency

Since Git is itself an efficiency tool, even amateur programs will be able to take advantage of it reasonably quickly. Git lets users build an archive of their work and make changes more quickly and easily since everything is documented. It also lets users start the process of shared source code collaboration by allowing teams of developers to work with each other more efficiently across multiple devices. 

While learning Git won’t be a substitute for the complex process of learning to code, it will significantly improve your ability to work with complex projects and source codes early on in your coding training. This will ensure that students are on track as they advance in their training since learning efficiency tools can be as important as learning fundamentals, particularly when the tool sees as much use as Git.

Since Git is often taught as part of a web development curriculum, students interested in learning Git while receiving training on their coding skills may want to explore the web development training options available through Noble Desktop.

Archive Data

Git is also a very popular tool for archiving source code. The development of Git prioritized data security as an essential design feature and the protections surrounding Git have only improved over the last decade and a half. This means that learning Git will help keep your code protected from outside parties, which can be incredibly important for high-profile projects. Plus, Git tracks all changes made, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally losing a version of the program because of human error.

Git is also a distributed system, meaning that every instance of Git running on a separate machine keeps its own archive and directory. This means that all of the version histories are stored locally and can be accessed from that device, ensuring that your data history isn’t subject to the maintenance of a database somewhere else that your machine needs to access. All of your work is directly stored within the Git repository, ensuring that it won’t become lost due to database failures.

Utilize GitHub

One of the main reasons that Git has become so popular is its integration with GitHub, an open-source public archive for sharing and distributing Git files. GitHub is a platform that allows users to upload, share, and collaborate on source code files with tens of millions worldwide. Through Cloud computing technology, GitHub lets users collaborate almost instantly, synching up various Git repositories and automating significant aspects of the coding process. GitHub is, on its own, a significant efficiency tool for professional and amateur programmers.

How to Start Learning Git

Given that it is a documentation and efficiency tool that developers use to improve their workflow, it is rare that Git is taught independently. Rather, it is taught as part of a web development or programming curriculum designed to teach students to become more efficient programmers. Students interested in learning Git should see if it is offered as part of the curriculum in any of Noble’s web development courses and gauge the level of additional coding knowledge that they hope to receive.

Many students find that live instruction is the best way to learn a new skill since the presence of a live instructor takes some of the challenges off of their shoulders. These classes are available both in person and online, meaning that students can choose whether they want to travel to attend a class with a group of like-minded students or if they want to learn from the comfort of their home workstations. No matter which options you choose, in a live instruction course, you can be sure that you’re getting expert training in web development, including how to use Git.

Students who need more flexibility in their training may find on-demand classes to be a desirable alternative. These courses let students learn at their own pace, picking up their studies when possible. In addition, since these classes aren’t taught by live instructors, students are freer to pick and choose the lessons they will learn. On-demand classes may also be an ideal place to learn Git in particular, because it is far more likely that a small on-demand class would teach Git on its own, making them an ideal place to look for students comfortable with their coding skills but need to master Git quickly.

Similarly, free training options are available for students looking to learn Git. Noble Desktop offers many free Git resources and tutorials on their Learn Git page. These resources are a great place to start learning how to utilize Git as a documentation tool if you are already familiar with the coding practices that Git will use to document. Students can learn specific Git skills, like how to build command lines, how to ignore specific files, and how to clone, push, or pull a file using Git. In addition, several video tutorials are available on the Web Development playlist on Noble’s official YouTube channel.

Read the full guide on how to learn Git.

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.

Key Insights

• Learning Git will significantly increase your efficiency and productivity as a software developer. The program has become an indispensable tool for archiving and documenting source code.
• Since it is used by nearly 95% of all programmers, learning Git will be an indispensable skill for anyone hoping to work in a professional programming environment.
• Learning Git will also help improve your efficiency as a personal programmer and it will ensure that you have a well-documented and protected record of your work and data.
• In addition to its integrated features, learning Git will let students access GitHub, one of the most powerful collaboration and sharing tools currently available.
• No matter why you want to learn Git, Noble Desktop is ready to provide students with comprehensive skills training, both in-person and live online.