Gitting Managed
31 Jan 2017
Management in Programming?
Configuration Management is a basic yet seemingly advanced practice when learning programming. Although it usually does appear in one’s first programming class, the depth in which the class highlights configuration management only scratches the surface. The same has occurred for me and didn’t advance until I entered an upper division software engineering course with the use of Git/GitHub.
First Impressions
My first experiences with any sort of Configuration Management is in my first programming class where we learned C through unix. If even considered such, The organization of any files and projects were all saved in our user directories. This provides the problem that everything has to be manually navigated through. Although in the right hands it can can be potentially powerful, in my experience navigation was the easiest task but moving and transferring anything was a nightmare! I often wished there was a quicker and less problematic way of moving files let alone renaming them.
Further more, in future programming classes, you also have the issue of group assignments. When you develop a program with other group members you will always run into the issue of how to code simultaneously and how to update your finished code with your partners unfinished code. Group members tend to help because work can be divided and problems can be finished sooner. However, especially when working in unix, collaborating on the same assignment becomes a catastrophe when members save over other peoples code, replacing completed chunks of working code. Hours of work completely down the drain. The desperate attempt of finding the optimal collaboration IDE lingers with the end of each of class.
The Blessing of GitHub
But thankfully! transcending past unix and into the 21st century, we now have the beauty which is Git/GitHub. Git/GitHub is that God sent prodigy child that allows for all your organization, management and even collaboration issues to be addressed given you nurture your growth with Git.
- No Longer worry about dealing with directories now that there is one place to keep your files in a repository using their easy to follow user interface.
- NO LONGER look and replace and copy files from all over when they’re all located in one place.
- NO LONGER deal with annoying team members who step on your code and cause a desperate cram sesh to recreate hours of work, since now you can branch off similar working code altar just what you need and push up only the changes necessary.
GitHub with it’s cloud based not only allows friends to collaborate, but also allows you to publish your work for all to Even further, in addition to working on your browser, you can quickly work off their desktop app without having to go through the difficulties of having a browser. Their desktop app isn’t just an alternative, its an improvement allowing for quicker changes and updates.
GitHub seems to be the most popular Configuration Management tool and not by accident. Coders know the issues and Git has addressed them. And with the ability to work off their desktop it is even more comfortable. I have found it more efficient than any other method and it is quick to pick up since it runs from a familiar interface that all are used to. For your next group project or large scale personal project, Git to the Hub and check out the power they can bestow to you.