What is a key advantage of distributed version control systems over centralized version control systems?

A key advantage of distributed version control systems (DVCS) is their enhanced collaborative capabilities. In a DVCS, every contributor has a complete copy of the project's history, which allows multiple developers to work independently on different features or fixes simultaneously. This means they can commit changes to their local repositories without needing immediate access to a central server.

When collaborators want to share their changes, they can do so easily by pushing their commits to the shared repository. This workflow not only enables more fluid collaboration among team members, as they can branch and merge as needed, but it also supports local work without relying on constant connectivity to a central server. This results in more efficient team dynamics and an increased ability to manage larger projects with diverse contributions.

In contrast, centralized version control systems often create a bottleneck because all changes must be coordinated through a single repository. This can slow down the development process and make it more challenging to integrate contributions from multiple developers in real-time.