#Version control and backing-up your work It is very important that you take seriously the threat of data loss. Writing both your coursework document and your programmed solution for the project are lengthy processes and you will not want to find yourself in a position where you have lost weeks of work due to a mistake you have made or a computer error or hardware failure.
##Version Control Using a tool such as Git to version control your files is a good idea. Git will enable you to step back to a previous working version of your program if you make a mistake and it will also provide a log of all of the work you have done (and when) over the course of the project.
Most students use GitHub to provide a mechanism to sync changes between the version of files they have in college and those they have at home.
##Back-up In addition to version controlling your files you will also want to back them up to avoid losing them. If you are using GitHub then you will have three copies of your files:
- In college
- At home
- On the GitHub server
This means that if you ever lose one set of files then it should not cause you too much of a problem.
If you are not using Git or want an extra back-up then use a service such as Dropbox to sync your files so that they exist off-site. Having files saved off-site is very important as computers do get stolen and houses do burn down.
Do not place yourself in a position where by losing one set of files will mean that you are unable to meet a submission deadline. Losing work is not an acceptable reason for an extension
You have been warned.