Why version control
Replace confusing copies of project files with a clear, chronological history.
The problem with repeated file copies
For a group assignment, it is easy to end up with files named final.pdf, new_final.pdf, and final_final.pdf as people make corrections. Those copies make it difficult to know which version is current and what changed along the way. The workshop uses this familiar problem to introduce version control.
Keep a history of changes
Version control records and tracks successive versions of the same project files. Instead of creating a new file copy for each revision, contributors can work with a shared history and see how the project developed over time. The session introduces version control as a way to manage that history.