What Is GitHub? Why Should Developers Use It?

What Is GitHub?

You’re developing a project…

Writing code.
Adding features.
Fixing bugs.

Then questions start to arise:

• “Where should I store this code?”

• “What if my computer breaks?”

• “How will we work on it as a team?”

• “How will I share the project?”

This is where a familiar platform comes in:

GitHub

Millions of software projects around the world are hosted there.

In this article, we’ll explain GitHub:

• Through a real project

• In technical but understandable terms

• Without marketing jargon

and show how it fits into development.

First, the Basic Question: What Is GitHub?

A short definition:

GitHub is a platform for storing, managing and collaboratively developing software projects.

But that definition is incomplete.

A more precise definition is:

GitHub is a Git-based code version control and collaboration platform.

It combines two things:

1. Git: a version control system

2. Cloud-based project management

Understanding Git Comes First

To understand GitHub, first get to know Git.

What Is Git?

Git is a system that tracks the history of your code.

Imagine developing a project:

1. You create the first version

2. Add a feature

3. Fix a bug

4. Add a module

Git records these changes.

This allows you to:

• Return to an earlier version

• Review changes

• Work as a team

Git was created by:

Linus Torvalds

He also created the Linux operating system.

What Does GitHub Do?

Git itself is a tool that runs on your computer.

GitHub adds the following capabilities:

• Cloud storage for code

• Easier teamwork

• Project sharing

In other words:

Git + Cloud + Collaboration

A Real Project Scenario

Imagine building a web application.

For example:

• A React frontend

• A Node.js backend

Your project files are on your computer.

But several questions remain:

• How will your teammate get the code?

• How will you track changes?

• How will you publish the project?

GitHub helps solve these problems.

How Does GitHub Work?

GitHub relies on a few core concepts.

Repository (Repo)

A repository is a project’s version-controlled home.

It contains:

• Source code

• Documentation

• Configuration files

A repository usually looks something like this:

project-name
 ├── src
 ├── public
 ├── package.json
 └── README.md

Commit

A commit is a record of changes.

For example:

• You add a feature

• You fix a bug

You save those changes in Git.

Example commit:

Add login system
Fix navbar bug
Update API integration

Branch

A branch is a separate line of development.

For example:

• main → the main project

• feature-login → sign-in development

• bugfix-navbar → a bug fix

This allows team members to work in parallel.

Pull Request

Pull requests are central to collaboration.

When a developer adds a feature, they:

1. Create a branch

2. Write code

3. Open a pull request

Other developers review and approve the changes.

Why Is GitHub So Popular?

There are several reasons for its widespread adoption.

The Open-Source Ecosystem

GitHub is the world’s largest open-source platform.

Many major projects are hosted there:

• React

• Vue.js

• TensorFlow

• Flutter

Collaboration Tools

GitHub does more than store code.

It also supports project management.

Features include:

• Issues

• Pull Requests

• Discussions

• Project boards

Automation: CI/CD

GitHub includes an automation system:

GitHub Actions

It can be used to:

• Run tests

• Automate deployment

• Build projects

Example workflow:

Push → Test → Build → Deploy

GitHub Pricing and Plans

GitHub offers several plans.

Free Plan

For individual developers.

Usually sufficient for personal projects.

Pro Plan

Team Plan

Enterprise Plan

For large companies.

Features include:

• Advanced security

• Enterprise management tools

• Dedicated support

What Can You Do with GitHub?

GitHub does more than store code.

It can be used for many purposes.

Open-Source Projects

Developers around the world can contribute.

A Portfolio

Many developers use their GitHub profile as a portfolio.

Documentation

You can prepare detailed project documentation.

Hosting

You can publish static websites with:

GitHub Pages

GitHub and Its Alternatives

GitHub is not the only platform.

Alternatives include:

• GitLab

• Bitbucket

GitHub’s strengths include:

• A large community

• Open-source projects

• A broad ecosystem of tools

A Modern Developer Stack

Many projects use the following architecture:

Kod → GitHub
Deploy → Vercel
Backend → Supabase
Database → PostgreSQL

This setup is common in modern web development.

When Should You Use GitHub?

Use GitHub when you want to:

• Store your project

• Work with a team

• Develop an open-source project

• Set up CI/CD automation

Conclusion

GitHub has become a standard part of modern software development.

The first step when starting a project is often:

“Create a repository.”

GitHub is a development ecosystem as well as a place to store code.

If you want to manage your code’s history, work with a team and share your project with the world:

GitHub is one of the essential tools for modern developers.