Programming Concepts Beginner

What is Version Control?

A system that records changes to files over time, allowing you to recall specific versions, collaborate, and track history.

Version control tracks every modification to code in a special database. If a mistake is made, developers can revert to earlier versions. It enables collaboration by merging changes from multiple contributors.

Git is the most popular version control system. Key concepts include repositories, commits, branches, merges, and pull requests. Centralized systems (SVN) use a single server, while distributed systems (Git) give each developer a full copy.

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Code that is easy to read, understand, and maintain — following consistent conventions, meaningful naming, and single-responsibility functions.

Regex (Regular Expression)

A sequence of characters that defines a search pattern, used for string matching, validation, and text manipulation.

A data structure that follows First-In-First-Out (FIFO) ordering, where elements are added at the rear and removed from the front.

Composition over Inheritance

A design principle favoring object composition (has-a relationships) over class inheritance (is-a relationships) for code reuse.

The implied cost of additional rework caused by choosing a quick solution now instead of a better approach that would take longer.

A surface indication in code that usually corresponds to a deeper problem in the system, suggesting the need for refactoring.

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