What is version control and why is it important?

• A. A system to track changes to code or documents; enables collaboration and rollback.
• B. A method for backing up data in the cloud.
• C. A policy for archival of old documents.
• D. A hardware tool for editing files.

Answer: (A)

Version control is a system that records changes to a set of files over time, so you can see what was changed, when, and by whom. It tracks edits to code or documents and stores a history, supports branching to work on features separately, and lets you compare differences and merge changes. This makes collaboration smoother because team members can work in parallel, review each other’s edits, and resolve conflicts while keeping a reliable history. If a change introduces a bug or a mistake, you can revert to a known good version quickly. It’s not just a cloud backup of files, nor a policy for archiving old documents, nor a hardware editing tool — it’s a software system designed to manage and record the evolution of your project.