You might have heard it before – version control. But it isn’t just another buzzword for technical people. It’s super helpful, and almost everyone is using it.
What is version control?
Short summarized, version control (or source control) is a system that keeps track of changes to a file or a set of files over time so you can go to a specific version later.
Let’s take a simple analogy: imagine you’re writing a report. You save a new version every time you make changes (which, in turn, means that you have a lot of saved files). If you write something wrong, you can revert to any previous version. You don’t have to remember every edit you have done since the program keeps track of all the changes.
This is version control, which is included in most web builders.
Best practices
Here are some tips on how to make your version control better and more effective, especially if you are on a team:
- Commit regularly: Regularly committing means that there will not be massive commits where many changes happen.
- Naming conventions: Use clear naming conventions to identify each version.
- Review changes: Regularly review committed changes.
- Test before committing: Always test changes thoroughly. This helps reduce commitments that don’t work in production.
- Rollback plan: Be prepared for situations where a rollback is needed.
Version control in no- and low-code web builders
Version control is something developers must know about when starting their career in development. But it is also crucial for no-code projects as well.
Web builders mean that changes made happen straight on the live website. Things can go wrong when publishing new versions of a web app or website (and things will go wrong at some point).
Web builders’ version control lets users quickly revert to bug-free or error-free websites or web apps if something happens to the live site.
With version control, it is easier to manage a project since it gives insights into development and helps plan future tasks.
Let us look at different popular web builders and how their version control works.
Framer
Framer is a popular no-code UX/UI prototyping tool that lets you ship projects straight to the web with a few clicks.
In Framer, version control is called “Staging & Versions” and can be found under “Site Settings.“
In this window, you can see all versions that have been published and who pushed it out.
Another cool feature Framer offers is the staging feature.
Staging is a live version of the website that is almost identical to the production website but is separate from the live website.
This means you can test features without worrying about the actual live site.
Bubble.io
Bubble.io is another no/low code tool used to create complex web apps. It was designed for more complex logic and is often used in Saas web apps.
Bubble.io also has version control and is separated between development and live environment (production).
The two branches are called:
- The Live branch is a read-only branch with the live web app and live database.
- The Main branch is where your app is developed and tested before deployment.
Note that version control is only available for paid plans.
Wix
Wix is another no-code website builder that is meant for non-technical people.
Wix offers a version control that is called “Site History.”
Wix version control isn’t as complex as Bubble.ios branches, but it offers a simple way to restore to any point.
It has revisions that you can check out and revert to.
What are the benefits of version control
There are several reasons always to use version control:
- Collaboration: multiple people working on the same files.
- Backup: revert to previous versions if anything breaks.
- Track changes: version control tracks changes to files over time, which allows you to see who changed what and when.
- Branching and merging: Developing or designing in separate branches lets you work without affecting the current website. And when the work is done, you can merge it into the current website.
- Project history: it’s more straightforward to see why different changes have been made when you know the history.
What are the challenges and limitations of version control in no-code tools?
Although version control is so important for the development of websites and apps, there are some challenges with the no-code implementation of version control:
- The version control is often limited: while the traditional Git used locally on the computer is feature-rich and has all the features, the no-code tools tend to strip their version control system to a minimum.
- Pay for more features: Often, we see that you have to pay for more benefits with no-code tools, and version control is no exception. Features that should be enabled by default are behind more expensive plans.
- No local version control: traditionally, Git is used on your local computer, meaning you have complete control of all changes, even offline. No-code builders host the version control system; a local version is often inaccessible.
Glossary
- Production: This is what we call the live version of your website and what your users visit.
- Branches: Branches are separate versions of your site. Often, branches are split in two: main and development. The main branch is the live website, while development is a different set of files that we use to develop new features.
- Git: Git is a distributed, decentralized version control system.
- GitHub: While Git is a local version control system, GitHub is a web-based platform that you can use to host version control.
- Rollback: Restore to a prevoius version.