What is one major characteristic of distributed version control systems?

A major characteristic of distributed version control systems (DVCS) is that they encourage parallel development without network dependency. In a DVCS, every user has a complete local copy of the entire repository, including its history. This design allows developers to work independently on their own local repositories, making changes, staging them, and committing them without needing an internet connection.

This feature enables teams to collaborate more effectively since developers can work on different aspects of a project simultaneously and merge their changes later. Unlike centralized systems, where the workflow is heavily dependent on a single server, distributed systems provide the flexibility for developers to commit their work locally. They can synchronize with others at their convenience, enhancing productivity and making it easier to manage branches and merge changes.

In contrast to the other options, having one central copy of the code defeats the purpose of being distributed, reducing collaboration among team members does not reflect the intent of DVCS, and requiring a constant internet connection contradicts the core advantage of being able to work offline.