iii. About the Cover

While not the most elegant or agile creature, the flightless penguin should not be underestimated. Very few other animals can boast the wide adaptability of these birds. Found in both global hemispheres, penguins are both animals of the land and the sea, spending half of their lives on each.

In water, they are independent, graceful swimmers and formidable hunters, feeding on fish, squid and other sea life as they swim and dive — sometimes up to depths of over 500 meters for up to 22 minutes at a time. On land — well, we know about penguins on land. Their colonies are a comical flurry of waddling, rock-hopping and belly sliding — but they are also social, gentle and maternal.

Like penguins, Git thrives in multiple environments and is incredibly adaptable, and its utility should not be underestimated. Though Git seems unassuming at first glance, not many other tools will allow you to leverage your work in so many environments, both independently and socially. And like these resilient birds who manage to slip and tumble, getting back up each time, Git will allow you to work knowing any mistake can be corrected. The key is just to keep waddling along.

It should also be noted that both penguins and the authors of this book look great dressed in tuxedos.