Tower: Git for Humans

I didn’t start programming until college. When I first started, it was a lot to take in. The number of languages and technologies seemed innumerable (I think it feels even more so that way now).

Arguably, one of the most confusing technologies to learn was Git, which is a version control tool. It’s really an amazing tool - it allows users to track changes in files and collaborate with other users. However, to me (and probably most people), the CLI tool isn’t super user-friendly or intuitive.

When I was first introduced to Git, I had just started using a command line interface (CLI) and immediately had it thrown into the mix. Throughout college, I really didn’t have to collaborate with other students except for a few group projects, so I was able to get away with not being a Git expert.

If you look through the Git documentation, you’ll find tons of commands and optional arguments. It’s not intuitive at first, especially if version control systems are new to you. I think that using a Git client can help reduce the mental load of trying to recall Git CLI commands and arguments and makes it easier to focus on the project itself.

I’m still not a Git expert, but using a Git client has made it possible for me to collaborate with others and contribute to projects without all the headache of dealing with the CLI tool. I have really liked using Tower (it has a nice free trial), but there are other popular Git clients available, like GitKraken. Regardless of the tool you use, being able to visualize commits and project history is much easier in a Git client.

What do you think? Let me know at chase@chase-mortensen.dev.

Chase