GitHub hosts and connects work managed with Git
GitHub is an online platform for storing Git repositories and collaborating on their files and history. A browser interface lets people inspect code, compare changes, and work together.
GitHub is well known for public open-source projects, but it also supports private repositories with restricted access. Individuals and teams use it for software, websites, documents, and project automation.
What can GitHub do?
- Store code and history in a remote repository
- Review changes through pull requests
- Track work and bugs with Issues
- Automate tests and deployments with GitHub Actions
- Provide development assistance through GitHub Copilot
GitHub and Git are not the same thing
Git manages history locally. GitHub hosts Git repositories online and adds collaboration features. Git works without GitHub, and repositories can also be hosted on services such as GitLab or Bitbucket.
Check visibility and protect secrets
Anyone can read a public repository. Private repositories still require careful control of collaborators and connected applications. Store passwords and API keys in environment variables, GitHub Secrets, or another system designed for credentials instead of writing them directly into the repository.
Pushing to GitHub does not normally publish a website by itself. Some projects automatically deploy after a push or merge, so understand the automation before sending a change.
GitHub should not be the only copy of critical work. Deletion, permission changes, or rewritten history can make data inaccessible. Keep an appropriate local or separate backup.