Web development and performance
What is Git?
Git is a version control system that records every change to a codebase, who made it and when. For a client, its practical value is that the project has a history, can be rolled back, and can be handed to another developer without a folder of zip files.
Also called: version control · repository
Why it matters commercially, not just technically
- A change that breaks something can be reverted in seconds
- The repository is the deliverable — code in your account, not on someone’s laptop
- Another developer can take over by cloning it, which is what continuity actually means
- Deployment can be automated from it, removing FTP and the mistakes that come with it
The question worth asking a supplier
"Which repository will the code be in, and will I own it?" A supplier who delivers a zip file at the end has given you a snapshot with no history — and no way to tell what changed, when, or why.
What good practice looks like on a small project
- Commits during the build, not one at the end
- A repository owned by the client from the start
- Deployment triggered from the repository rather than by manual upload
- No credentials committed, ever — environment variables instead
Where this is covered in depth
A definition can only go so far. Who actually owns your website — a checklist you can verify today covers this properly — 3 minutes, free, no email required.
Who wrote this
Anas Bin Masud builds e-commerce sites and does technical SEO for businesses in the UK, Canada and Pakistan. These definitions come from client work rather than from a content brief — where an entry describes a mistake, it is usually one found on a real site. More about how I work.