If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve heard about GitHub and want to learn more about what it’s all about. As a beginner, GitHub may seem confusing and complicated at first. But don’t worry, with this beginner’s guide, you’ll be on your way to mastering GitHub in no time!

So What Exactly is GitHub?

GitHub is a web-based platform that allows people to collaborate on coding projects and manage their code. It uses a version control system called Git to track changes to code over time. This allows multiple people to work on the same project without overriding each other’s changes.

In many ways, GitHub is like Google Docs for coding. Multiple people can edit the same “document” and GitHub keeps track of who made what changes. But instead of word documents, the documents are codebases and software projects.

GitHub has become an essential tool for software developers to share and manage open source software projects. Today, over 73 million software developers around the world use GitHub to develop software collaboratively.

Why Should You Learn GitHub?

There are many great reasons to learn GitHub even if you’re just starting out with coding:

1. It’s a great platform for collaborating and sharing code. By using GitHub, you can easily work with others on coding projects.
2. It serves as a portfolio to showcase your work. GitHub profiles have become modern-day resumes for developers.
3. You gain exposure to open source software projects for inspiration and learning. Millions of projects are openly shared on GitHub.
4. Future employers look for GitHub skills. Knowing GitHub has become an essential job skill for developers.
5. It allows you to track changes in your code and experiment safely through branching and merging. No more worrying about breaking your code!

The GitHub Flow

So how do you actually use GitHub? GitHub follows a simple collaborative workflow called the GitHub flow:

1. Create a branch
2. Add commits
3. Open a pull request
4. Discuss and review code
5. Merge to main branch

Let’s break this down step-by-step:

Branching Out

All GitHub projects start with a main or master branch. This stores the official production version of your code.

To work on changes, you’ll first create a new branch. Branches allow you to develop features, fix bugs or experiment with code without impacting the main branch.

Once you’re done with your changes, you can open a pull request. A pull request is a dedicated forum for discussing proposed code changes before merging to the main code.

Going Committed

On your branch, you can add, edit and delete files to your heart’s delight. GitHub tracks these changes as commits.

Commits allow you to add a short message explaining the changes. Think of commits as save points in your coding journey. GitHub keeps all commit records so you can revisit how code looked at any commit.

Getting Approval

When you feel your branch is ready to be added to the main branch, you open a pull request. This requests the repo owner to pull your branch changes into the main branch.

Any GitHub project team members can now review your code and comment suggestions. You can have threaded discussions about code changes.

Once your changes get the green light from reviewers, your branch can be merged into the main branch. Your code contributions are now officially part of the project!

Why GitHub Wins

The true power of GitHub comes from its collaborative social coding environment. Multiple developers can simultaneously edit code and GitHub coordinates it all through merging and branching.

If code changes cause issues, you can revert back to any previous safely-committed point. Open processes ensure quality control.

GitHub takes all the headache out of coordinating code changes and empowers seamless collaboration. No wonder it has become the coding playground of choice for projects large and small!

Forks and Clones

GitHub repositories can be copied in two ways – forks and clones:

A fork copies a GitHub repository as your own new project to freely experiment with changes. It’s often used to create alternate versions of projects.

A clone creates a local copy of a GitHub repository on your computer. This allows you to sync code edits directly from your local machine without using the GitHub website interface.

Paths to GitHub Mastery

With the basics covered, your journey to GitHub mastery can now begin! Here are some ideas to help you level up your skills:

• Contribute to open source projects through fixes and features
• Launch your own GitHub project to manage code
• Use GitHub Pages to easily build a website to showcase your work
• Implement advanced Git commands through the command line interface
• Try GitHub Actions to automate your development workflows
• Earn experience through internships requiring GitHub know-how
• Showcase your GitHub profile in interviews and academics

The world of collaborative social coding awaits! Commit to learning GitHub today and launch your coding career to new heights!

Related Links

GitHub – https://github.com/

GitHub Tutorial – https://felixrante.com/git-started-with-github-for-beginners/