Git: preserve the reasoning behind revisions

Git tracks revisions to files and supports collaboration through a recorded history of changes. It is useful for an archive's code, editorial text and structured data when you need to understand what changed and why. The official site links to reference material and the Pro Git book for learning the workflow. Begin with a small project and commit related changes together. Write a message that explains the reason for an edit, especially when correcting a date, source or interpretation. Review the difference before committing and avoid mixing a factual correction with a large formatting rewrite. Keep a source note or issue reference where it helps another editor evaluate the decision. Version history is valuable only if it is maintained and stored reliably. It does not replace separate backups, and large binary media can require a different storage strategy. Public repositories also publish what you commit, so inspect files before sharing. Use the history to make decisions reviewable, not to imply that every recorded version was accurate.

Editorial review: 2026-09-23. New evidence may change this account.

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