HTG Explains: What Is GitHub and What Do Geeks Use It For?

GitHub is a website/service that we hear geeks rave about all the time, yet a lot of people don’t really understand what it does. Want to know what all the hubbub is about? Read on to find out.

The “Git” in 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 Trovalds – the same person who created Linux. Git is similar to other version control systems – Subversion, CVS, and Mercurial to name a few.

Version control systems

So, Git is a “version control system,” what’s that mean? When developers are creating something (an application, for example), they are making constant changes to the code and releasing new versions, up to and after the first official (non-beta) release.

Version control systems keep these revisions straight, and store 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. Every developer can see these new changes, download them, and contribute.

Similarly, people who have nothing to do with the development of a project can still download the files and use them. Most Linux users should be familiar with this process, as using Git, Subversion, or some other similar method is pretty common for downloading needed files, especially in preparation for compiling a program from source code (a rather common practice for Linux geeks).

In case you are wondering why Git is the preferred version control system of most developers, it has multiple advantages over the other systems available, including a more efficient way to store file changes and ensuring file integrity. 

The “Hub” in GitHub

We’ve established that Git is a version control system, similar but better than the many alternatives available. So, what makes GitHub so special? Git is a command-line tool, but the center around which all things involving Git revolve – effectively, the Hub, is GitHub.com, where developers can store their projects and network with likeminded people.

Let’s go over a few of the main reasons that geeks like to use GitHub, and learn some terminology along the way.

Repository

A repository is a location where all the files for a particular project are stored, usually abbreviated to “repo.” Each project will have its own repo, and can be accessed by a unique URL.