FOSS UCEK

If you’ve spent any time in the tech or creative world, you’ve probably heard people talk about GitHub. Maybe you imagined a dark, confusing screen filled with lines of green code meant only for software developers. Here is a secret: GitHub is not all about coding. GitHub is free to use, but it is important to know that GitHub itself is not open source. GitHub has a free plan for users, while Git, the software GitHub is built around, is free and open source.

To understand how GitHub works, it is important to first understand Git. Git was created by Linus Torvalds in 2005 to make it easy to track changes and fix mistakes. Instead of making many copies like draft-1 and draft-2, Git saves a record of your project at different points. This lets you go back to an earlier version whenever you need to. This is where GitHub comes in. GitHub is a website built around Git. Think of GitHub as a place on the internet where you can store your project, similar to Google Drive. However, GitHub is made to keep track of every change you make to your work.

Before we get into that, there are some simple words you need to know:

Repository (or Repo)

Think of a repository as a folder for your project. It can contain your coding project, website, or written work.

Commit

A commit is like saving your work at a certain point. Each commit has a short note about what you changed, such as "Introduction added" or "Corrected a typo."

Branch

A branch is like a copy of your project where you can try new things. You can test different ideas without changing the original project.

Pull Request

A pull request is a way to ask others to check your changes. After they approve them, you can add those changes to your main project.

What GitHub Does

GitHub gives you a place on the internet to keep and organize all your project files. When you create a project, you can keep everything in one place, making your work easier to manage. GitHub also keeps a record of your progress. You do not need to make many copies of your files or worry about which file is the latest. Whenever you save a milestone, GitHub keeps track of it and lets you see how your project has changed over time. If you want to try something different or risky with your project, GitHub lets you create a safe space to do it. You can try different ideas and make mistakes without changing your main project. When you are ready to bring your changes into the main project or work with others, GitHub makes it easy. You do not need to keep sending files through email. You can simply check the changes and add them to your project. So, are you ready to dive into GitHub? Create an account, install the app, and start your project. GitHub might look confusing at first, but once you try it, it can become a useful tool for keeping your projects organized and safe. Whether you are building software, working on a creative project, or simply tired of messy file versions, setting up your first workspace takes only a few minutes. Dive in, experiment, and see how much easier managing your work can be!