About GitHub and Git

In 2005, Linus Torvalds created Git because he really needed it. He wanted a fast and safe way to keep track of his code for the Linux project. Since he couldn’t find a tool that worked well enough, he decided to build his own. He made it specifically to fix the common problems that programmers face every day.

Then, in 2008, Tom Preston-Werner and his team launched GitHub to bring that power to the internet. They took a technical tool and turned it into a place where people can easily connect. Because of them, we can now save our work online and team up with other people from anywhere in the world.

About GitHub

GitHub is a website where you can keep your code online and work with other people. When you save your work in a "repository" (which is just a project folder), it helps you do a few important things:

• Show your projects: You can easily share what you build with your friends or show it to people when you apply for a job.
• Keep track of changes: It saves every version of your code, so you can see how your project grows over time.
• Get feedback: Other people can look at your code and suggest ways to make it better.
• Work as a team: Many people can work on the same project at the same time. You don't have to worry about breaking someone else's work before you are ready to join your changes together.

About Git

Git is a smart tool that keeps track of every change you make to your files. It is very helpful when you and your friends are all working on the same project at the same time. Usually, you follow these easy steps:

• Make a copy: You create a separate "branch" so you can work on your own part of the project without touching the main files.
• Edit safely: You can change your files and test new things on your branch without breaking anyone else's work.
• Join your work: Once you are done, Git helps you "merge" or add your changes back into the main project.
• Stay updated: Git keeps a record of everyone’s changes so the whole team is always working on the newest version.

How do Git and GitHub work together?

When you put your files on GitHub, you save them in a repository (which is just a folder for your project). Once they are there, Git starts tracking every change you make.

While you can do some things like creating folders or editing files right in your web browser, most developers prefer to work on their own computers. They use tools to keep the work on their computer in sync with the project on GitHub. When you work with a team, you will usually follow these steps:

• Pull: You "pull" the newest work from your teammates down to your computer so you have the latest version.
• Push: You "push" your own finished work back up to GitHub so others can see it.
• Merge: Git is smart enough to mix all these changes together. GitHub also uses "Pull Requests," which is just a way to ask your team to check your work before it's officially added.

What’s Next?

I hope this helped you understand how Git and GitHub work together to help developers. It is one of the best ways to start building your own projects and sharing them with the world.

In my next article, I will show you exactly how to create your own GitHub account. It is the very first step you need to take to get your code online and start your journey.

Stay tuned!