Many developers start by manually saving files as 'final_project_v2.py', a messy process prone to errors. The solution is Git, a version control system that tracks every change. It lets teams collaborate without overwriting code, undo mistakes, and experiment safely with new features using branches.

GitHub is the cloud platform that hosts these Git repositories, making code accessible and backed up. The core workflow starts locally: modify your files, stage the changes with `git add`, then commit them with a descriptive message. This creates a permanent snapshot of your project's history.

To share work, you link your local Git to a new GitHub repository and push your code. For team projects, you pull the latest updates from GitHub to stay in sync. While it adds steps, this safety net is fundamental for professional software development.