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Ask HN: How would you describe a commit?

1 points by samuelstros ↗ HN
Assume that you are introducing the concept of version control and committing to a non-dev audience; how would you describe what a commit does?

6 comments

[ 3.4 ms ] story [ 30.1 ms ] thread
PaulHoule
Like taking a snapshot with a camera?
samuelstros
Doesn't make click for me. Snapshot is a VCS term that seems to have a different meaning in photography.

From Wikipedia "A snapshot is a photograph that is "shot" spontaneously and quickly, most often without artistic or journalistic intent and usually made with a relatively cheap and compact camera."

samuelstros
Things we discussed:

- a commit is somewhat a 'save' but unlike a 'final_v1.docx'

- a commit prevents changes from being overwritten

ilkhan4
I would describe it as a stopping point, or a chunk of work that represents a finished step (however you define a step).
pipesorter
People are familiar with Draft (email or blog) state and Send or Publish state. I would go with email analogy. So I would describe commit similar to sending an email after drafting in a thread. Here I also could undo anytime and make it a draft. Similar to forward I can clone a thread (branch out?).
samuelstros
Isn't sending an email publishing (in version control terms CI/CD deployment)?