You’ve likely heard of Git as a mysterious tool programmers use to work with their code. However, since Git can track changes in just about any text file, you can use Git for more than maintaining and collaborating on code.
Sure, the learning curve can be steep, and you might need some interactive resources to learn Git at first. But once you get the hang of it, Git can be a powerful tool to manage anything from your work documents to your to-do lists. I use Git almost every day, and most of those uses have nothing to do with programming.
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Git can manage my writing projects
From messy docs to clean versions
One of the first non-programming uses for Git that I discovered was as a document manager. I often write multiple copies or angles of the same article, meaning my drafts are often saved with confusing names and final versions that keep getting changes. Eventually, it becomes really hard to keep track of and find the versions I want to use as the final piece.
With Git, I can have an individual repository for each article I write. When I make changes, I can commit them with a clear message like “added intro section” or “rewrote ending based on editor feedback.” This not only helps me track changes to my work easily, but also means I can see exactly what I changed, when, and for what reason. Make sure you’re writing effective, useful Git commit messages for the best results.
It also makes working on multiple drafts and angles easier. If I decide I liked an earlier version better, I can roll back to a previous state without losing any progress. Additionally, I can create branches for different approaches or angles and switch between different versions instantly.
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Collaborating without chaos
Merge ideas, not mess
As a journalist, I often have to work with various editors and writers, sometimes on a single copy. Google Docs admittedly does a good job in such scenarios, but it’s nothing compared to how Git tracks changes and manages versions.
Whenever my work has to be reviewed, I can push my changes to GitHub or any cloud-hosted Git repository platform, and they can see exactly what has changed since the last draft. Comments can be left on specific lines, changes can be suggested, and even entire edits can be made without overwriting the original copy.
The pull request system also allows me to collaborate with fellow writers and editors, discussing changes before they’re finalized. This makes the editing process much smoother, especially on faster-moving assignments.
Team projects also benefit from the branching system, as each team member can work on their section without interfering with someone else’s work. When we’re done, we can merge everything in no time.
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An unbreakable backup system
Your safety net for projects
Previously, I maintained local copies of text files as backups. Anything from notes, research, article drafts, to-do lists, and more was stored offline thanks to offline-first note apps that sync only when you decide. Turns out, Git offers a better way to back up your data.
Git serves as my distributed backup system. Every time I commit a change to any of my projects, Git essentially creates a snapshot of my work. These commits can be pushed to multiple locations at once, such as GitHub, GitLab, and even my own server. This way, even if one service goes down, my work is safe elsewhere.
I can also have more granular backups with Git. If you’re backing up a Word file, you only get to back up the final form of the file. With Git, the entire history of every file I’ve worked on gets saved. I can recover not just my current work, but any previous version from weeks or months ago.
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Organize projects, tasks, and more
A project manager in disguise
Git has also been an organizational boon for me. My research notes, project and technical documentation, and now even my daily to-do lists all live in Git repositories.
The folder structure and commit messages also create a searchable history of my work. At any point in time, I can go back and search for anything I did, when I did it, and why. The transparency Git provides means I can track my productivity and see patterns in how I work.
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Manage website and content assets
Keep sites and content under control
I also use Git to maintain a personal website and blog. Now, this might sound a little programming-related as a use case, but Git has helped me manage content on my site in a much better manner.
Instead of logging into a CMS like WordPress, I can write my content in my favorite text editor and push changes directly to my site. Setting this up to work seamlessly was a bit of a challenge at first, and you’re going to have to build your site from the ground up to support this infrastructure. However, if you get it right, it makes publishing content a breeze.
Any time I need to create a new post or article, I just create a new file, write my content, commit it, and push—the site updates automatically. It also allows me to use one program, Visual Studio Code, for writing my content and code for the website.
The version control aspect is rather helpful for website management as well. If a site update breaks something, I can roll back to the previous state and restore the site within minutes.
The biggest misconception about Git is that it was made only for code. As mentioned before, Git is designed to track changes in any text-based file, which can cover a surprising amount of what we do on our computers every day. Whether you’re a writer, researcher, designer, content creator, or anyone who works with text-based files, you can benefit from Git.
It gives you better collaboration, automatic backups, organized project history, and the confidence to experiment, knowing a full recovery is a few commands away. Yes, there is a learning curve, and it can feel steep. However, there are tools like GitHub Desktop or GitKraken that offer a more visual approach to Git rather than the usual command-line interface, which makes it more approachable.
Once you understand the basics—commit, push, pull, and branch—you’ll wonder how you managed without it. Give it a shot, and Git might just become your new favorite tool.
