Version Control for Game Developers: Git and Collaboration

February 25, 2025

Imagine explaining to your producer that your team just lost three weeks of work due to a corrupted asset. This is the nightmare Git prevents. In game development, juggling complex projects with multiple contributors can quickly turn into a nightmare. Git, the industry-standard version control system, tracks changes, enables collaboration, and, most importantly, prevents data loss. This article shows you how to leverage Git for your game development workflow, tackling the unique challenges game devs face.

A photograph of a lush forest with sunlight streaming through the canopy, representing the collaborative nature of game development and the clarity Git brings

But what if you are at the very beginning of your game development journey? Wayline is a comprehensive game development platform designed to help game developers succeed by providing tools and resources at every stage of the development process.

Let’s dive into the core concepts of Git and version control, understanding why they’re crucial for a streamlined game development process.

Introduction to Git and Version Control Concepts

Version control records every change to your files, so you can jump back to any previous version. Think of it as a time machine for your project.

A photograph of a time-lapse sunset over a vast landscape, illustrating version control as a time machine for projects

It’s essential because it allows multiple developers to work simultaneously without chaos and enables easy rollbacks if something breaks. It also provides a detailed history to track down bugs. Repositories are your safety net.

A photograph of a serene lake reflecting the sky, representing the safety net and stability that repositories provide

Basic Git terminology includes repositories. These are directories containing all game assets, code, and project history.

Then there are commits. Think of commits as save points in your game development process, allowing you to revert to stable versions after experimental changes. These are snapshots of your project at a specific point in time.

A photograph of a winding mountain road, symbolizing the branching and merging process in Git workflows

Branches are parallel lines of development. They let you work on features or fixes without messing up the main codebase. For example, you might use a branch to prototype a new AI system for your enemies, isolating the experimental code from the stable game.

Finally, merges combine changes from one branch into another. Imagine two level designers working on different sections of the same level. Merging allows them to combine their work seamlessly, integrating new environments, enemy placements, and interactive elements into a cohesive whole.

Git is a Distributed Version Control System (DVCS). Unlike older, centralized systems, every developer has a complete copy of the repository, history and all. This means you can commit changes offline. Operations are faster because they’re local. And the project isn’t doomed if the central server goes down.

You’ve got a few popular Git hosting platforms to choose from: GitHub, a widely used platform for hosting Git repositories and collaborating on open-source projects; GitLab, a complete DevOps platform with Git repository management, CI/CD, and more; and Bitbucket, a Git repository management solution designed for professional teams.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s look at setting up Git for your game development projects.

Setting Up Git for Game Development Projects

Here’s how to set up Git for your game, whether it’s brand new or already underway:

First, create a Git repository. Open your terminal, navigate to your project directory, and type git init.

Next, configure .gitignore. To avoid tracking unnecessary files like temporary files and IDE settings, create a .gitignore file to specify which files Git should ignore. Ignoring the Library folder (/[Ll]ibrary/) prevents committing cached asset data, which can bloat the repository and cause conflicts. Ignoring the Temp folder (/[Tt]emp/) avoids committing temporary files that are not needed for the project and can cause unnecessary changes. The same goes for the Obj folder (/[Oo]bj/), which stores intermediate object files. Ignoring the Build and Builds folder (/[Bb]uild/ and /[Bb]uilds/) excludes build outputs, and /Assets/AssetStoreTools* prevents committing asset store tools.

To ignore Unity’s temporary files and library caches, add the following to your .gitignore file:

/[Ll]ibrary/
/[Tt]emp/
/[Oo]bj/
/[Bb]uild/
/[Bb]uilds/
/Assets/AssetStoreTools*

Then, think about repository structure. Keep your project organized. Common directories include Assets, Scripts, Scenes, Textures, and Models.

Large textures and audio files can quickly bloat your Git repository. Git LFS is your friend here.

Finally, consider Git LFS. Use Git Large File Storage (LFS) for those hefty binary assets like textures, models, and audio files. To enable Git LFS, run:

git lfs install
git lfs track "*.png"
git lfs track "*.psd"
git lfs track "*.fbx"
git add .gitattributes

With Git set up, let’s explore different workflow strategies for game development teams.

Git Workflow Strategies for Game Development Teams

Choosing the right workflow depends on your team size and project complexity. Here are a few options:

Feature Branch Workflow: Develop each new feature or bug fix in its own branch. This isolates changes and makes code review easier before merging into the main branch. This workflow is ideal for teams working on multiple independent features simultaneously, as it allows for isolated development and easier code review.
Gitflow Workflow: A more structured approach with specific branches for releases, hotfixes, and development. Good for projects with complex release cycles. Gitflow shines when you have a clear release schedule and need to support multiple versions of your game simultaneously. This is especially useful when multiple teams are working on different game systems that need to be integrated in a controlled manner.
Trunk-Based Development: Everyone commits directly to the main branch. This requires discipline and automated testing to maintain code quality. Trunk-based development works best when you have a mature CI/CD pipeline and a team that’s good at writing tests.

Smaller teams might prefer the simplicity of Feature Branch Workflow, while larger teams with complex releases may lean towards Gitflow. Trunk-Based Development requires a mature CI/CD pipeline. The key is choosing the right tool for the job. Now, let’s see how to collaborate effectively using these workflows.

Collaborating with Git: Branching, Merging, and Conflict Resolution

A photograph of a team of rock climbers scaling a cliff face, demonstrating the need for communication and coordination in Git workflows.

Collaboration in Git revolves around branching, merging, and resolving conflicts:

Creating branches: Start a new branch for each task using git checkout -b feature/new-feature.
Pull requests: Once a task is done, submit a pull request to get code reviewed and collaborate.
Merging branches: Merge changes from one branch into another using git merge.
Conflict resolution: Conflicts happen when the same code is changed in different branches. Resolve them by manually editing the files and choosing the correct changes.

Tools like KDiff3 or Meld can visually help you resolve those merge conflicts. Ready to take your Git skills to the next level?

Advanced Git Techniques for Game Developers

These techniques can seriously level up your Git game:

Want to automatically catch coding errors before they even get committed? Git Hooks let you do that by running code linters automatically. Git Hooks: Automate tasks and enforce coding standards. Use Git Hooks to automatically run code linters, ensuring code quality before commits. This prevents common errors from ever entering the repository.

If you’re using a specific version of a library, submodules or subtrees can help you keep it consistent across your project. They help you manage dependencies and external libraries. Submodules and Subtrees: Manage dependencies and external libraries. Suppose your project relies on a custom animation library shared across multiple projects. Submodules ensure everyone on the team uses the exact same version, simplifying updates and maintaining consistency across all projects.

Imagine you’ve fixed a critical bug in your development branch, and you need to get that fix into your live game now. Cherry-picking lets you grab just that commit and apply it to your main branch. Cherry-picking: Apply specific commits to different branches using git cherry-pick. This is useful for porting bug fixes between branches.

Pinpoint the commit that introduced a bug using git bisect. This can save you hours of debugging. Bisecting: Identify the commit that introduced a bug using git bisect. If a new bug appears, and you have no idea when it was introduced, git bisect helps you quickly find the problematic commit by automatically checking out different commits in your history.

For example, if you’re building a fantasy game, using a Low Poly Fantasy Village asset can quickly populate your world. Next, let’s discuss integrating Git with your game engine.

Integrating Git with Game Engines and Tools

Git plays well with popular game engines:

Unity: Configure asset serialization and scene management. In Unity, using Force Text serialization along with Git prevents binary file conflicts when multiple developers work on the same scene. This setting ensures that scene files are stored in a human-readable format, making it easier to merge changes made by different developers working on the same scene simultaneously. Without Force Text, Unity stores scenes as binary files, making merges nearly impossible.
Unreal Engine: Integrate Git via the editor or command line. Unreal Engine also supports plugins for enhanced Git integration, simplifying the workflow.
Other tools: Integrate Git with other game development tools like Perforce Helix Core or Plastic SCM using bridges or plugins. These integrations streamline asset management.

Plugins and extensions streamline the process and make Git more user-friendly within game engines. Now that you know how to integrate Git, let’s look at some best practices.

Best Practices for Git Usage in Game Development

Follow these guidelines for smooth Git operations:

Write clear commit messages: Explain the why behind each change.
Commit frequently: Break down changes into small, logical chunks.
Pull and merge regularly: Keep your local branch in sync with the main branch.
Communicate: Keep your team in the loop about Git workflows and conventions.

Even with best practices, issues can arise. Let’s troubleshoot some common problems.

Troubleshooting Common Git Issues

Here’s how to handle common Git headaches:

Merge conflicts: Carefully review the affected files and choose the right changes.
Lost commits or branches: Use git reflog or git fsck to recover lost work.
Large repositories: Use Git LFS, shallow clones, or partial clones to optimize performance.
Common commands: Use git revert, git reset, and git stash to undo changes, reset the repository, or temporarily store changes.

Git might seem daunting at first, but it’s an indispensable tool for game developers. It keeps your projects safe, organized, and collaborative. Start using Git today and take control of your game development process! If you’re looking for assets to get started, consider Strafekit, an asset marketplace that provides developers with unlimited game assets to use in their projects.