Is Git commonly used by authors for writing books?

Yes, Git is increasingly being used by authors for writing books, especially in collaborative environments or when authors need to manage versions of their manuscripts. Originally designed for code version control, Git offers powerful features for tracking changes, managing revisions, and collaborating with others. Authors working on long-term projects, such as books, can take advantage of Git's branching and merging functionalities to experiment with different sections or rewrite parts of the text without losing previous versions.

In addition, tools like GitHub or GitLab can facilitate seamless collaboration between co-authors, editors, or reviewers, allowing them to contribute to the manuscript, leave comments, and resolve conflicts. Furthermore, Git's ability to handle plain text files makes it ideal for managing the structure and formatting of the book, especially when combined with markdown or LaTeX for writing. As a result, Git is becoming a valuable tool for authors, offering control and flexibility that traditional word processing software cannot match.