5.4 Version Control Application

Introduction

Welcome to one of Mage Pro's most powerful features the Version Control Application. In this lesson, you'll learn how to use the integrated Git Terminal to manage your data pipeline code like a professional data engineer. By the end of this section, you'll be confidently saving your work, collaborating with teammates, and maintaining a clean development workflow. In Mage Pro, you can do all this without leaving your browser.

What makes the Mage Pro Git Terminal special?

Imagine you're working on a complex data pipeline in Mage Pro. You've spent hours building transformations, testing data quality rules, and fine-tuning your blocks. After completing all this work you want to save your progress and get feedback about code changes from your team. In traditional setups, this might mean switching between multiple applications, managing authentication tokens, and hoping everything syncs correctly.

The Mage Pro Git Terminal eliminates this friction entirely. It's a browser based terminal that lives directly inside your Mage workspace. Think of it as having a professional development environment embedded right where you need it most.

Getting Started: Your First Terminal Session

Let’s first get familiar with the Mage Pro Git Terminal with a step by step walk through of the application:

Step 1: Navigate to the Version Control application From your Mage Pro home page, hover over the left navigation menu until it expands. Look for "Version control" in the list, this is your gateway to the Git Terminal.

Step 2: Enter the terminal environment Click "Version control" and you'll be transported to a clean, terminal interface. If you’ve used command line tools before this should feel familiar, with the convenience of being based in your browser.

Step 3: Verify Your Environment

Try running your first command:

git

Understanding authentication

Here's where Mage Pro really shines. In most development environments, setting up Git authentication can involve generating SSH keys, managing personal access tokens (PATs), or wrestling with credential managers. While Mage Pro simplifies this process significantly, the exact authentication method depends on your organization's GitHub configuration.

Prerequisites: Before using the Git Terminal, you need to complete a one-time setup through the Deployments section (you should have completed these steps in the last section):

1. Navigate to Deployments and click Connect repository

2. Authenticate with GitHub using one of the available methods:

   • OAuth flow (most common for individual accounts)

   • Personal Access Tokens (often required by enterprise organizations)

   • SSH keys (may be required based on your company's security policies)

3. Configure your repository connection

Once this initial setup is complete, the Git Terminal automatically uses these credentials for all operations. While you may need to configure authentication tokens or keys based on your organization's requirements, Mage Pro handles the complexity of managing and applying these credentials consistently across all your Git operations.

Note: If you're working in an enterprise environment, consult with your DevOps or IT team about your organization's preferred authentication method. They may provide specific PATs or SSH keys that comply with your company's security policies.

Real-world usage scenarios

Let's explore the most common situations where you'll use the Git Terminal:

Scenario 1: Saving your daily work

You've just finished building a customer analytics pipeline. Here's how to save and share your progress:

# Check what you've changed
git status

# Stage all your changes
git add .

# Create a meaningful commit
git commit -m "Add customer analytics pipeline with churn prediction"

# Share with your team
git

Scenario 2: Collaborating with teammates

Your colleague has updated the shared codebase. Stay in sync:

# Get the latest changes
git pull origin main

# See what's new
git log --oneline -5

Integration with Your Mage Workflow

The Git Terminal isn't isolated from your Mage development work, it's deeply integrated. When you create new pipelines, modify blocks, or update configurations in the Mage UI, those changes are visible in the terminal. This integration means you can:

• Build pipelines in the visual interface

• Test and iterate using Mage's built-in tools

• Save and version your work using Git commands

• Deploy to different environments using the same codebase

Conclusion

Now that you understand the Git Terminal, you're ready to implement professional version control practices in your data engineering work. In the next lesson, we'll explore how to set up deployments, which builds on these Git skills to create automated workflows that safely move your code from development to production.

Remember, mastering the Git Terminal isn't just about learning commands, it's really about adopting the best practices that make data engineering teams successful. With Mage Pro's integrated approach, you get all the power of Git with none of the traditional complexity.