Whenever the term “open source” comes up, our mind immediately associates it with GitHub and this association is shared by many beginners in the field of development.
This experience is very common. GitHub has become synonymous with open-source development for many aspiring and seasoned developers alike. Its robust features, user-friendly interface, and wide adoption within the programming community have made it a central hub for collaboration.
In this blog, we will talk about how people worked together on open source projects before and after Git (or GitHub).
Before Git and GitHub:
- Centralized Version Control Systems were commonly used before the rise of Git. These systems required a central server to store all versions of a project’s files, which limited developers’ ability to work offline and collaborate in real time. Before Git, developers used Centralized Version Control Systems such as SCCS( Source Code Control System) , RCS (Revision Control System) , CVS( Concurrent Versions System) and SVN( Apache Subversion).
- Collaboration often involved a manual process. When developers identified and fixed a bug, they sent a patch to the original author.. To create a patch, one would download the source code of the software, make necessary modifications, and generate a diff comparing the altered version to the original source. This process typically involved either using tools to analyze the changes locally or manually diffing the files against the original source. They packaged the resulting set of files, which comprised the specific changes made, into a compressed archive such as a zip file. This package, known as a patch, could be attached to a bug report or emailed directly to a designated contact person within the project’s team if no public bug tracker was available.
- Limited Visibility and Accessibility- discovering open-source projects and contributing to them or collaborating in open-source was not as straightforward as it is today. Finding relevant projects to contribute to often required extensive research and networking within specific developer communities.
After Git and GitHub:
- Git’s decentralized structure revolutionized the way developers collaborated on open-source projects. It allowed for offline work, streamlined branching and merging, and facilitated more efficient collaboration among developers regardless of their geographical locations.
- The launch of GitHub gave open-source projects a level of visibility never before possible. Developers could easily fork projects, propose changes, and submit pull requests, cultivating a cooperative and knowledge-sharing culture among developers. Centralizing issues and discussions made it easier for contributors to communicate and track project developments.
- Developers were able to create, organize, and manage open-source projects more efficiently thanks to GitHub’s user-friendly interface and integrated project management tools. Features like issue tracking, project boards, and wikis helped in streamlining project workflows and fostering community engagement.
Overall Git and GitHub revolutionized collaboration, fostering open source growth and encouraging contributions. Aspiring developers should actively engage in open source participation, as it offers invaluable learning opportunities and community engagement