GitHub Explained

helping newbies to untangle the mess that is GitHub

05.23.15

The github logo is a kitty cat with octopus tentacles, because although a seasoned coder might think this website feels cute and cuddly, to a newbie it's actually quite daunting like looking at a big tangled ball of tentacles. Github is basically a code sharing service that doubles as a hosting server that doubles as facebook. Although it's not as user-friendly as facebook, so it's more like the early day myspace. But for coders, GitHub is an essential tool that minimizes wasted work by promoting structured communication.

GitHub helps coders to collaborate on the same project remotely. A big part of this is version control, where different people can work on multiple branches of the same project. The stable working code of a project is called its master branch, and different people can work on copies of the master branch called sub-branches. Each indivdual can work on a different sub-branch in order to improve the project by building new features. If someone is satified with the work they did on a sub-branch, he/she can merge it to the master branch. The master branch is now a updated version with more features than before the merge.

Git helps you keep track of changes by allowing you to see exactly what changes were made, when it was made, in which file it was made, and who it was made by. Also it is good practice to get someone to review your code (a pull request) to make sure the changes are good before merging it into the final version (pushing). You should use GitHub to store your code because it is a cloud based service that keeps your work backed up and safe from harm, while allowing your teammates to see what you have been working on, thus allowing seamless communication. GitHub is a great platform that allows different people to work as a team without making the whole project into a mess of octopus tentacles.