Difference between Git and GitHub
Tags: github, git, difference, vcs
Published: 2023-12-16 17:22:38

Git and GitHub are two very commonly used terms and there's a high probability that you might not be knowing the difference between the two. I know it's not that complex and difficult but for any beginner, it is an issue and was for me also a few months back. In this article, I'll shed light on some of the differences between Git and GitHub.

I've divided the article into 13 points. Certainly! Let's break down and explain each point:

1. **Git is software, GitHub is a service:**
   - **Git:** Git is a distributed version control system (DVCS) that allows developers to track changes in their source code during software development. It is installed locally on a user's machine.
   - **GitHub:** GitHub, on the other hand, is a web-based platform and service that provides hosting for Git repositories. It extends Git by adding features such as collaboration, code review, and issue tracking. Users interact with GitHub through a web-based interface.

2. **Git is maintained by Linux and GitHub is by Microsoft:**
   - **Git:** Git was created by Linus Torvalds in 2005 and is maintained by the open-source community.
   - **GitHub:** GitHub, while using Git as its version control system, is a platform owned by Microsoft. It provides additional features and services built around the Git technology.

3. **Git works locally:**
   - **Git:** Git operates on the local machine, allowing users to commit changes, create branches, and perform version control without an internet connection.
   - **GitHub:** While Git works locally, GitHub is a remote repository hosting service. It requires an internet connection to sync changes between the local repository and the remote repository on GitHub.

4. **GitHub requires an internet connection:**
   - **Git:** As mentioned earlier, Git primarily works locally and does not require an internet connection for basic version control operations.
   - **GitHub:** GitHub is an online platform, and to interact with repositories hosted on GitHub, users need an internet connection.

5. **Git is a command-line tool, GitHub is a graphical user interface:**
   - **Git:** Git is often used through a command-line interface (CLI) for tasks like committing changes, creating branches, and merging.
   - **GitHub:** GitHub provides a web-based graphical user interface (GUI) that simplifies interactions with Git repositories, making it more accessible to users who may not be comfortable with the command line.

6. **Git is focused on version control and code sharing, GitHub is focused on centralized source code hosting:**
   - **Git:** Git's primary focus is on version control, allowing developers to track changes and collaborate on code.
   - **GitHub:** GitHub extends Git's capabilities by providing a centralized platform for hosting, collaborating, and sharing source code with features like pull requests, issues, and wikis.

7. **Git is a version control system to manage source code history, GitHub is a hosting service for Git repositories:**
   - **Git:** Git is the version control system that manages the history of changes to source code.
   - **GitHub:** GitHub serves as a hosting service that utilizes Git for version control. It offers a web-based interface to manage repositories, collaborate on code, and track issues.

8. **Git was first released in 2005, GitHub was launched in 2008:**
   - **Git:** Git was initially released by Linus Torvalds in 2005.
   - **GitHub:** GitHub, as a platform built around Git, was launched in 2008 by Tom Preston-Werner, Chris Wanstrath, and PJ Hyett.

9. **Git has no user management feature, GitHub has a built-in user management feature:**
   - **Git:** Git itself does not provide user management features.
   - **GitHub:** GitHub includes built-in user management features, allowing repository owners to control access, permissions, and collaboration within a project.

10. **Git is open-source licensed, GitHub includes a free-tier and pay-for-use tier:**
   - **Git:** Git is an open-source tool distributed under the GNU General Public License.
   - **GitHub:** GitHub offers both free and paid plans. The free tier provides basic repository hosting and collaboration features, while the paid plans offer additional features and resources.

11. **Git has minimal external tool configuration, GitHub has an active marketplace for tool integration:**
   - **Git:** Git typically requires minimal external tool configuration for basic version control operations.
   - **GitHub:** GitHub has an active marketplace where users can find and integrate a variety of tools and applications to enhance their development workflows.

12. **Git provides a Desktop interface named Git Gui, and GitHub provides a Desktop interface named GitHub Desktop:**
   - **Git:** Git provides a simple GUI tool called Git Gui for users who prefer a graphical interface.
   - **GitHub:** GitHub offers its own desktop application called GitHub Desktop, providing a user-friendly GUI for interacting with Git repositories hosted on GitHub.

13. **Git competes with CVS, Azure DevOps Server, Subversion, Mercurial, etc., GitHub competes with GitLab, Bitbucket, AWS CodeCommit, etc.:**
   - **Git:** Git competes with other version control systems such as CVS, Azure DevOps Server (formerly known as Team Foundation Server), Subversion, Mercurial, etc.
   - **GitHub:** GitHub competes with other code hosting platforms such as GitLab, Bitbucket, AWS CodeCommit, and others, each offering their unique features and services.

These distinctions highlight the roles of Git as a version control system and GitHub as a platform that builds upon Git, providing additional collaboration and hosting features. Understanding both is crucial for effective software development and collaboration.

I hope after reading this article you won't have any more doubt in your mind regarding the difference between git and gitHub.

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