Linux Command Line and Shell Scripting Bible, 4th Edition

CHAPTER 25Getting Organized

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Looking at version control
• Building a Git environment
• Using Git

Writing complex and useful shell scripts saves lots of time, but you can quickly lose that saved time through script mismanagement. Tracking updates to scripts, working with other team members involved in modifying the scripts, and distributing the scripts to your various systems all add to the complexity of script management. Fortunately, there is a utility that can help you properly manage your Bash shell scripts. In this chapter, we take you through the concept of version control and the popular Git utility that implements it.

Understanding Version Control

Imagine a system admin team whose members all write scripts for the various Linux systems in the company. A backup script is managed by this team, and it is deployed on nearly all of the company's servers. A few special versions of this backup script exist that use encryption due to files being transferred over public networks.

One day, it's determined that the backup script needs an update to improve its processing speed and reliability. The team starts the backup script update project. They begin the process of modifying the backup script and testing the modifications. Through this process, each project team member has to make sure they get the latest version of the script to modify and/or test. Adding more complexity to this matter, the team is not located in the same building. In fact, they are located ...