Though there are countless services for hosting your Git repositories, GitHub’s popularity is matchless. That’s why you should know about the ins and outs of GitHub if you are interested in software development. To give a brief definition, GitHub is a cloud-based Git repository hosting service, which means it provides a centralized platform for storing, managing, and sharing Git repositories. But beyond storage, it also includes features like issue tracking, pull requests, and project management tools.
GitHub’s web interface makes it easier to navigate repositories, review changes, and facilitate team collaboration. Its version control feature allows different users to review changes made on the project and collaborate simultaneously.
What Is Git?
Git is an open-source version control system developed by Linus Torvalds in 2005. As a distributed version control system, Git ensures that the complete codebase and its history will be available on the computers of each developer working on a software project. In this way, Git empowers developers to adeptly monitor and handle alterations in their codebase.
Why Should You Use GitHub?
GitHub offers various benefits to its users during the development process and as we mentioned before, knowing about GitHub is a must for a software developer. As SSTTEK Academy, we involve GitHub in our Back-End and Front-End Developer Bootcamps. So, here are some reasons why you should choose GitHub for your software project:
- Version History: Keeping track of changes is vital when multiple people collaborate on a project. So, the main benefit of GitHub is that it enables you to track changes to your codebase and roll back to previous versions.
- Documentation: Thanks to the README files and wikis included in GitHub repositories, you can get excellent documentation of your project and help new contributors understand it.
- Security: GitHub offers security features such as vulnerability scanning and dependency insights to identify and address potential security issues in code and dependencies.
- Community and Open Source: You can think of GitHub as a platform for open-source projects, where developers can showcase their work, contribute to others’ projects, and engage with a global community of developers. This exposure can enhance your profile and foster collaboration.
- Web-based Interface: GitHub’s web-based graphical interface makes it easier to navigate repositories, review changes, and interact with project elements. Such accessibility also enhances the overall user experience.
