There are myriad benefits to version control. Most importantly, it creates a situation wherein multiple users can collaborate on a single file. Because of the constant documentation of the changes that have been implemented everyone with access can see what changes have been made, who made them and why. In addition, if a particular avenue of coding turns out to be a dead end the team can revert to a previous version of the file. This can also be useful if a piece of code was removed, and later is though to be useful. Version control should be a staple of any development environment.
Git is a powerful tool that can aid in version control. Once your code is saved in a local directory you can share that file with others. Proper documentation through git is easy to employ, and should become second nature to developers. While some may resist documenting properly, git will automatically record who modified the file and what changes they made. This allows greater accountability and for collaborators to know who made what changes.
By employing a service like GitHub, coders can collaborate regardless of geography. In and of itself, Git is a powerful tool for collaboration, but it is limited to the local system. GitHub allows users to share files with minimal effort, while retaining the necessary privacy. It also is easily integrated into the CLI environment and can automate the updating of files. Utilizing a GitHub also deters collaborators from posting incomplete or incorrect code, through the use of pull requests. Pull requests allow for a second person, usually a supervisor, to look over the changes and decide if they are appropriate for the entire group. GitHub is a resource that brings the whole coding community closer together.