What is the relationship between version control and collaboration?

Version control plays a crucial role in fostering effective collaboration among developers working on the same project. It allows multiple developers to contribute to a codebase simultaneously by managing changes made to the software's source code. With version control systems, each developer can work on their own features or fixes independently in separate branches. This separation minimizes the risk of conflicts, as changes can be isolated until they are ready to be merged back into the main codebase.

When conflicts do arise—such as when two developers try to modify the same line of code—version control systems provide tools to identify these conflicts and facilitate the resolution process. This ensures that all team members' contributions are preserved and integrated smoothly into the final product. Ultimately, version control enhances collaboration by enabling parallel development and efficient management of changes, allowing teams to work more cohesively and effectively.