Git and the Anatomy of the Git Repository
Discover the structure and function of a Git repository, from the working directory and index to the object database. Learn how Git records snapshots, manages commits, and enables efficient source control workflows for developers.
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Introduction
Git is an excellent example of the aphorism, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Git was born of necessity by none other than the inventor of Linux, Linus Torvalds. It was developed to replace BitKeeper, the source control system used by Linus and his fellow hobbyists and researchers, to develop the Linux kernel. According to Linus, BitKeeper wasn’t perfect, but it was one of very few distributed SCM systems at the time. It also had one other attractive attribute: it was free. That changed in 2005 when the copyright holder revoked the open-source license.
It was apparent that no other vendor was likely to fill the space BitKeeper had left, so Linus set to creating its replacement. Following his penchant for naming his projects after himself, Linus self-deprecatingly named it Git, which is ...