Understanding Git: The history and internals

Git, an essential tool for developers, was created by Linus Torvalds in 2005 as a response to a licensing dispute with BitKeeper, and it quickly became the most widely used version control system, with adoption rates soaring from 69% in 2017 to 94% in 2021. Unlike its predecessors, Git introduced a distributed model, allowing changes without needing a remote server, and it improved the software development workflow with features like branch merging and commit tagging. The system organizes data into four object types: blobs, trees, commits, and tags, which are processed through three key areas: the working area, the staging area, and the repository. Git commands are divided into "porcelain" for user interface and "plumbing" for internal functions, enabling developers to manage their code efficiently. Understanding these internals and operations helps developers utilize Git more confidently, enhancing their workflow by making processes faster and more reliable.