Why is version control essential for code standards?

• A. It automates code optimization and performance tuning.
• B. It guarantees the project will not fail.
• C. It makes the code run faster.
• D. It tracks history, enables collaboration, prevents data loss, and supports code reviews and audits.

Answer: (D)

Version control records changes to the codebase over time, which is essential for enforcing code standards. It provides an auditable history of who changed what and when, helping ensure consistent formatting, comments, and commit messages. It enables collaboration by letting multiple developers work on different tasks and then review and merge those changes in a controlled way, so standards are checked during reviews. It protects against data loss by keeping safe copies and allowing you to revert to a known good state if something goes wrong. It also supports code reviews and audits by showing diffs, history, and the reasoning behind changes, making conformity to standards easier to verify. The other options don’t fit because version control doesn’t automate optimization, guarantee success, or directly make code run faster.