What is an essential feature of commits in Git?

The correct answer highlights that a commit in Git represents a complete snapshot of all the files in a project at a particular point in time. This is foundational to how version control systems like Git operate. Each commit captures the entire state of the project, allowing developers to track changes over the course of the project’s development. This means that a commit not only tracks changes made to files but also includes the full context of the project, preserving a historical record that can be referred back to at any time.

This completeness is crucial because it enables developers to revert to previous states of the entire project if necessary, facilitating collaborative work and ensuring that no parts of the project are lost or overlooked. This holistic snapshot capability is part of what makes Git a powerful tool for version control and collaboration among teams.

In contrast, other options do not accurately reflect the fundamental nature of commits. For instance, a commit does not only represent a snapshot of changed files, nor is it restricted to specific branches. Additionally, a commit does not merely store links to newer files; it encapsulates a comprehensive state of the project at the time of the commit. This all-encompassing trait underscores why knowing that a commit captures every file in a project is vital for understanding Git's functionality.