What is GitHub and How to Use it?

GitHub is an essential tool for software engineers, and its popularity is second to none. It currently has more than . This is a significant number of professionals who turn to GitHub to improve workflow and collaboration.

To better understand what GitHub is and how it works, we have to dig deeper.

In short, GitHub is a cloud-based service that hosts a version control system (VCS) called Git. It allows developers to collaborate and make changes to shared projects, while keeping detailed track of their progress.

What is version control?

Version control is a system that helps track and manage changes made to a file or set of files. Mainly used by software engineers to keep track of changes made to the source code, the version control system allows them to analyze all changes and revert without repercussions if a mistake is made.

In other words, version control allows developers to work on projects simultaneously. It allows them to make as many changes as they need without infringing or delaying the work of their colleagues.

If those source code changes break the project when they’re deployed, GitHub makes it easy to revert them with a few clicks, and you’ll roll back to the previous version of the project.

In short, version control eliminates risk and the fear of making too many mistakes. Instead, it provides the freedom to collaborate and develop without too much worry.

What is Git?

git is an open source project that started in 2005 and grew to become one of the most popular VCSs on the market: they use Git for their projects.

It is a distributed version control system. This means that any developer on the team who has access can manage the source code and its change history using .

Unlike , Git offers . This means that each software engineer on the team can fork out a feature branch that will provide an isolated local repository for making code changes.

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Feature branches do not affect the master branch, which is where the original code for the project resides. Once the changes have been made and the updated code is ready, the feature branch can be merged back into the master branch, which is how the changes will take effect in the project.

GitHub hosts more than 1,000 repositories, most of which are open source projects. This statistic reveals that GitHub is among the most popular and is used by various professionals and such as .

This is because GitHub is a cloud-based project orchestration and management platform that incorporates the version control features of Git. This means that all GitHub users can track and manage changes to the source code in real time, while having access to all other Git features available in the same place.

Also, GitHub’s user interface is easier to use than Git’s, making it accessible to people with little or no technical knowledge. This means that more team members can be included in the progress and management of a project, making the development process more fluid.

How to get started with GitHub?

You can try GitHub with your team for free. There is a basic plan that includes unlimited repositories and collaborators, but only 500 MB of storage space.

If you want to enjoy all the features of GitHub, you can choose one of their .

After choosing a plan, entering the required details, and completing the registration process, you can start exploring all that GitHub has to offer. Unlike Git, GitHub does not require any coding or command line usage.

1. Create a GitHub repository

A repository, or repo, will be the backbone of your project. It can be a file or a collection of files containing code, images, text, or anything else.

To start the process, follow these steps:

  1. click on Create a repository to start a new project.
  2. The section owner It will already have your account name. Create a repository name. Check if it is set to Public to make it open source, and then check the box Add a README file. Finally, click on Create repository.
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Congratulations, you have now created a new repository that will contain the original file of your project. The next step is to learn what you can do with it.

2. Create branches on GitHub

With branching, you generate different versions of a repository. By making changes to the project in the feature branch, a developer can see how it will affect the master project when integrated.

This is how you can generate a feature branch:

  1. Go to your new repository. Press the button main and enter the name of your new feature branch. click on Create branch.

You have now created a feature branch that looks identical to the master branch. You can start making changes to it freely without affecting the project.

3. Understand GitHub commits

Commits are the way saved changes are called on GitHub. Every time you change the feature branch file, you will have to do a commit to keep it.

Here’s how to make and confirm a change:

  1. Access the features branch by clicking main and selecting your newly created branch from the dropdown.
  2. Click on the “pencil icon” to start editing the file. When you’re done, write a brief description of the changes you made. click on Commit changes.

To propose the changes you just made to other developers working on the same project, you need to create a pull request. These make it easy to work together on projects, as they are the main collaboration tool on GitHub.

Pull requests allow you to see the differences between the original project and your feature branch. It is the way to ask your colleagues to review them. If the other developers approve it, they can merge pull requestwhich will apply those changes to the main project.

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To make a pull request follow these steps:

  1. click on Pull requests -> New pull request. In Example comparisonsselect the feature branch where you were working.
  2. Review the changes one more time and click Create pull request. On the new page, write the title and provide a brief description of what you have worked to promote the merger. click on Create pull request.

Now other developers will be able to merge the changes you made with the original project files.

If you want to know everything else about getting started on GitHub, check out this one.

conclusion

Although GitHub is primarily known within the software engineering community, it can be used in a variety of different industries. Any team or company that works on different projects that require development in the form of files can use this service.

For example, content and marketing teams can use GitHub to organize their projects. Freelance creatives can use it to manage their work when working with other people.

Using GitHub doesn’t necessarily mean using code or being a developer. It is a free version control system platform that can be used in many different ways.

We hope you have found this introductory guide on what GitHub is and how to use it useful.

Gustavo is passionate about creating websites. He focuses on the application of SEO strategies at for Spain and Latin America, as well as the creation of high-level content. When he is not applying new WordPress tricks you can find him playing the guitar, traveling or taking an online course.

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