Versioned Code

Versioned code is a snapshot capturing the specific modifications made to the code at a particular point in time.

Purpose

Have multiple snapshots of the state of the codebase enables developers to manage and maintain code history, facilitating rollback, comparison, and collaboration.

• Change Tracking: Allows developers to track changes over time and identify when and why changes were made.
• Collaboration: Facilitates concurrent work on different parts of the software, reducing conflicts.
• Release Management: Helps manage and prepare code for production releases effectively.
• Revertibility: Enables quick rollback to previous versions in case of errors or issues.

Elements of Versioned Code

Versioned code is typically managed using Version Control Systems (VCS) like Git. Key components include:

• Repository: Central location where code is stored.
• Commit: A snapshot of changes made to the codebase.
• Branch: A separate line of development, allowing for features, fixes, or experiments.
• Tag: Markers for specific points in the codebase history, often used for releases.

Anti-patterns

• Infrequent Commits: Making large, infrequent commits that complicate tracking changes and resolving conflicts.
• Git Flow: Having branches that last longer than 1 day, which can lead to merge conflicts and integration issues.
• Poor Commit Messages: Writing non-descriptive commit messages that do not clearly explain the changes.