Objective

Upon completing this lab, you will be able to:

• Understand the purpose of a Version Control System (VCS) in managing complex projects.
• Set up a local Git repository and connect it to a remote repository on GitHub.
• Perform the fundamental Git workflow:
  1. editing files,
  2. committing changes, and
  3. pushing them to a remote server.
• Visualize the history of both a personal and a public file to understand how version control provides an auditable trail of changes.
• Relate the fundamenal practice of version control to the challenge of reliably updating and maintaining the complex AI systems discussed in this playbook.

Tools/Resources Needed

• A computer with a stable internet connection.
• A modern web browser (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Safari).
• A simple text editor (e.g., VS Code, Notepad, TextEdit) to save and view files.
• A Git client. GitHub Desktop is recommended for its ease of use. Other options include the command line or your IDE's built-in Git tools.
• A free account on GitHub.com.

Description of Assignment

Background

In Lab I, you experienced firsthand how quickly an AI-generated application can be created and how challenging it can be to iterate on that creation. When you added new features like a login page, you may have found that the changes were not seamless. Imagine if those changes broke the entire application. How would you quickly and reliably go back to the last working version?