October 19, 2023

#87 - Scott Chacon // Co-founder of GitHub and GitButler

51 minutes

The Future of Version Control Systems

Reimagine version control systems with Scott Chacon, Co-founder of GitHub and GitButler.

Because, even Scott, a Git Veteran, will admit it:

Git is a pain sometimes. 🫣

There is a serious Merge Conflict ⚔️ between how modern developers code and the workflow ordained by Git in the Linux mailing list days.

Version Control Systems (VCS) need to be taken apart by First Principles 🧩 so they can be better adapted to the needs of modern software teams. And this is the branch he is busy with at GitButler 🔧 - which he invited us to checkout.

Pull this episode to find out:

Is the Git Protocol still useful? Does it just need a better client? 🤔

How to maximize the benefits of centralized version control systems 🫀

Can we stream🚿 our code and commit less?

T180 calculator hacks

Is there life beyond merge conflicts? 🌈 😅

Listen here to find out.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: codecentric and WorkGenius

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) - Intro

(02:51) - T180 calculator hacks

(05:12) - How Ruby and Git made GitHub

(07:00) - Bootstrapping GitHub

(07:37) - Monetizing GitHub

(08:29) - GitHub’s early days

(11:55) - Move to Berlin

(13:17) - Scott's passion for teaching

(14:46) - How he got back into version control

(15:30) - Rethinking the fundamentals of Git

(18:19) - Enhancing peer review processes

(19:13) - Methods to improve commit

(22:16) - The Git Protocol: Revamp or introduce a better client?

(24:50) - Why did Pull Request not become part of Git?

(26:06) - Innovating Git's virtual branching mechanism

(27:52) - The integration branch

(29:07) - Challenges of Introducing previews to the workflow

(31:38) - How a better Git desktop client will improve things

(32:32) - The potential of streaming code

(33:35) - Decentralized vs. Centralized VCS: The central point of contact

(38:51) - Shifting left - aligning earlier - before you commit

(42:29) - Changing lives with a DevTool

(43:30) - AI-driven insights in a VCS

(45:45) - Rebase vs. Merge vs. ?

(47:10) Productivity Hack

(52:00) - Advice for Younger Self

codecentric

The codecentric Culture and Career Podcast is unique for a company podcast. It is just employees talking freely about their daily life - from IT consulting projects they are working to imposter syndrome. We support this because we think it's pretty cool that codecentric simply lets the colleagues talk about everything, no matter what it's about - project business, Imposter sydrome, further education or parental leave in the consulting business. For us it is definitely worth a recommendation. Listen in - the codecentric Culture and Career Podcast. Note - its in German.

Just go to: www.link.alphalist.com/cc

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By Tobias Schlottke - alphalist CTO Podcast

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