GitHub is one of the biggish code-sharing platforms and collaborative project management. Well, it is actually called a social network of developers and helps both individuals and companies in managing projects and developing teamwork. By 2020, GitHub had more than 60 million new repositories and 56 million developers, making it the world’s leading code-sharing service worldwide. Here’s what is GitHub.
What is GitHub Use Case: Decathlon
A good example of the effectiveness of what is GitHub is Decathlon, a global sporting goods retailer with more than 1600 stores and 87,000 employees worldwide. Decathlon has problems with the lack of workflow visibility and reducing redundancies in a large workforce. They also needed an attitude to manage hiring and coordinate developers globally.
GitHub’s Features
Therefore, GitHub would also provide an affordable cloud-based platform for presenting the visibility of the code, which would make the hiring and collaborative process easier. Due to its open-source nature, developers in GitHub could come from all over the world. This is what GitHub is, and it made it the perfect option for meeting the project needs of Decathlon due to its complexity.
What is GitHub and Version Control
But before we dive any further into what GitHub is, let’s first know what Git is: a version control system, or VCS, that keeps track of changes in files over time. Git enabled multiple developers to work on the same project at the same time while keeping track of edits and changes so that team members are always working on the latest version. This functionality becomes super important as teams grow and really get distributed.
Git is actually a free, open-source version control system that really manages files and tracks all the changes multiple developers make. Therefore, it is a favorite with both small one-man teams and huge enterprise companies. It lets the team members work collaboratively without interfering with each other’s progress, therefore the best choice for any size project. This is what GitHub works as.
Simplified Terms
GitHub is a web-based interface of the Git service for hosting repositories. It provides developers with a central place in which their code and other project files are kept, where developers can work with others and easily manage versions of a project. What is GitHub? GitHub’s platform allows developers to review earlier versions and comment on changes; also, work can be shared with a much larger audience by publishing it, which makes it the largest coding community in the world.
GitHub Main Features
Now that we know what GitHub is, here are some core features that make GitHub a tool every developer and organization must have:
1. GitHub’s Easy Project Management
GitHub brings project managers to developers, thus creating coordination and tracking of the progress of the project in order to keep everything scheduled while bringing transparency.
2. Safety with Packages
GitHub allows teams to publish and reuse packages, which can be privately shared within an organization or publicized for the whole community.
3. GitHub’s Team Management?
The Moderation tools, such as Issue and Pull Request Locking on GitHub, keep teams focused and stay organized with their code.
4. Lots of Code Writing
Developers use the help of a pull request to review, propose, and discuss the code before it is implemented. That again enhances the ability to work collaboratively on it.
5. Improved Security for Codes
GitHub recognizes vulnerabilities; hence, it provides security for codes by catching possible problems sooner.
6. Single Code Host
With millions of repositories, GitHub offers a single location for code hosting, making it easier to manage, share, and release code.
Explore the git commands here.
Learn More About GitHub
Now that we know what GitHub is, it is time to dive into the specifics of its usage. First off, create an account on GitHub, install Git, and configure Git with your name and email address.
Creating an Account
You will then be able to create a repository, or “repo,” where you can host your code. You’ll be able to make edits to files through the repo and make “commits” to save each iteration. Then, you’ll be able to connect the repo with your local machine so you can track those changes locally and on GitHub as well.
Using Git and GitHub Together Step by Step
So, what is GitHub’s usage? These are the basics of how to use Git and GitHub:
1. Create a GitHub Account
If you haven’t done so already, now’s the time to do so.
2. Create a Repository
Using GitHub, create a repository to upload and store files related to your project.
3. Build and Edit Files
Using Git, track file changes when adding or editing files
4. Commit Each Change
Each change will create a “commit,” which works as a kind of snapshot of your project at that given point in time.
5. Link to Local Repository
Link your local files to GitHub so it can track changes on both sides. Now you can access your own blog anytime you like.
Details About GitHub
It is an all-inclusive tool for hosting and managing code in a collaborative manner while maintaining version control. It uses Git to track modifications to code to enable the use of multiple developers on the same project without overwriting one another’s work. GitHub’s cloud-based platform enables teams worldwide to contribute toward codebases, log their tasks by using issues, and make proposals for alteration through pull requests.
What is GitHub’s Charm Amongst Developers?
One of the major features is version control, which can easily go back to a previous version in case something goes wrong. It also supports branching, which enables developers to work on new features independently before merging into the main codebase. Advanced features involve the use of continuous integration (CI) tools, automated code reviews, and security scanning for good quality code and catching vulnerabilities early.
Flexibility and Smooth Experience of this Platform
The flexibility of the platform made it ideal for public open-source projects as well as private enterprise work. Social aspects, stars, forks, and community collaboration make the service a darling in the open-source world. Users can explore millions of public repositories and find ways to contribute or even build their own projects. In such a manner, developers and project managers learn how to use GitHub.
Other alternatives
Now we know how beneficial it is. However, it is not the only site for networking software. There are multiple options in this case. It is the most used tool, but there are many other code-hosting tools, including:
Bitbucket
Helps not only Git but also Mercurial and is very popular for private repos.
GitLab
Well-known for having very strong DevOps functions that combine Git hosting with CI/CD pipelines.
SourceForge
It is one of the oldest code-hosting tools, still holding millions of users.
AWS CodeCommi
Integration with AWS to provide smooth workflows within the Amazon ecosystem.
Who Uses GitHub and Why
It has developers, students, instructors, as well as businesses from many countries for hosting and collaborative project work. It can be an interactive space for a tech enthusiast to talk about projects and their collective passion for technology. You can make use of it, to create repositories, make file edits, and merge contributions through the means of branches and pull requests.
Conclusion
GitHub is actually a very powerful tool that has robust cloud-based collaborative management of code, hence making it easier for developers to work collaboratively, manage different versions of code, and keep their projects secure. Now that you know about it, so, make sure you use it to its full potential. Such a robust feature set has made it an industry standard, and it provides a stronger foundation in Git for handling projects of any size.
FAQs
1. What is GitHub used for?
Answer: GitHub is a cloud-based service that allows developers to easily store, manage, and track code changes on and across multiple repositories under version control.
2. What is GitHub’s Version Control?
Answer: Version control is a system that records and manages changes to one or more files, or sets of files, over time, allowing teams to collaborate.
3. What is GitHub’s Git?
Answer: Git is an open-source, free VCS that looks after projects of any size so as to track the progress collaboratively.
4. How Much Does GitHub Cost?
Answer: GitHub offers a free plan for public and private repositories, with advanced features available in paid plans starting at $44 per user per year.
5. Is GitHub safe?
Answer: Git Hub is a safe, legitimate platform for all things related to software development.
