What is GitHub?

To understand GitHub you must first have an understanding of Git. Git is an open-source version control system that was started by Linus Torvalds—the same person who created Linux. But what does that mean? When developers create something (an app, for example), they make constant changes to the code, releasing new versions up to and after the first official (non-beta) release. Version control systems keep these revisions straight, storing the modifications in a central repository. This allows developers to easily collaborate, as they can download a new version of the software, make changes, and upload the newest revision.

How can GitHub be helpful?

GitHub allows multiple developers to work on a single project at the same time, reduces the risk of duplicative or conflicting work, and can help decrease production time. With GitHub, developers can build code, track changes, and innovate solutions to problems that might arise during the site development process simultaneously.

Some Terminology used in GitHub

Some of the common terms teams will need to understand when using GitHub. They are:

• Repository (repo) — a folder in which all files and their version histories are stored.
• Branch — a workspace in which you can make changes that won’t affect the live site.
• Markdown (.md) — a way to write in GitHub that converts plain text to GitHub code.
• Commit Changes — a saved record of a change made to a file within the repo.
• Pull Request (PR) — the way to ask for changes made to a branch to be merged into another branch that also allows for multiple users to see, discuss and review work being done.
• Merge — after a pull request is approved, the commit will be pulled in (or merged) from one branch to another and then, deployed on the live site
• Issues — how work is tracked when using git. Issues allow users to report new tasks and content fixes, as well as allows users to track progress on a project board from beginning to end of a specific project.

How can I use GitHub?

The following is a step-by-step method in which GitHub users can develop their websites:

• Step 1 — You or your team members will open an issue via a project board.
• Step 2 — Create a new branch from the most recent version of the main branch in the repository where the entire team works to avoid conflicts.
• Step 3 — Add commits (edits/ changes) to their respective branches.
• Step 4 — Open a pull request in which users can assign other team members to review content changes and internally discuss the details of the commits.
• Step 5 — Team members can preview the change on a test version of the website and request reviewers to approve or comment on the change.

Once the reviewers approve the pull request, the commits merge into the main branch and are published on the live site.

GitHub Isn’t Just for Developers. All this talk about how GitHub is ideal for programmers may have you believing that they are the only ones who will find it useful. Although it’s a lot less common, you can actually use GitHub for any type of file, any field, any stream of your education.

Additional Resources

• Intro to GitHub | TTS Handbook - a guide on how to use GitHub from understanding basic level terminology to understanding more complicated concepts
• Markdown Cheat Sheet - tool to help users transcribe plain text language into GitHub code