What Is GitHub and How Do You Use It?
Published: 2021-06-03 06:57:49

Writing code can be complex, but it’s a lot easier with the right support and tools. In order to become an elite programmer, you need version control support and also the support of others who code. Whether they are members of your team, or are just generally familiar with the type of problem you are trying to solve, finding helpful individuals who can give you guidance and help you elevate your work is essential in the world of programming.

GitHub brings together teams and coding experts onto one collaborative platform where they can share ideas and methods and make awesome software together. But just what is GitHub, what is GitHub for, how does it work, and what makes it so beneficial? This brief GitHub tutorial will help you get started as you learn how to use GitHub.

### What is GitHub?
GitHub is one of the world’s largest community of developers. It’s an intricate platform that fosters collaboration and communication between developers. GitHub has a number of useful features that enable development teams to work together on the same project and easily create new versions of software without disrupting the current versions, but it doesn’t stop there.

Once new additions to a program are complete, for example, they can easily be incorporated into existing programs. GitHub also makes it extremely simple to work together on strings of code to really dial in and perfect even the smallest parts of a program. With GitHub, you can collaborate and work on projects with others anywhere in the world.

Of course, that’s only scratching the surface, because when it comes to the question “What is GitHub?” the answer is all about what it can do for you.  

### What are the Benefits of GitHub?
Why use GitHub? There are a number of reasons.. The first is that it enables slick and easy collaboration and version control. This allows you to work on code with anyone from anywhere. Additionally, many employers use GitHub. So, if you plan on getting a job, you’ll look really good if you already know your way around GitHub. And don’t forget about the connections, learning, and portfolio aspects. GitHub is a robust learning and collaboration platform. Take time to explore it and see just how much it can expand your programming knowledge.

### How do I Use a GitHub?
GitHub is complex, but understanding a few basics will help you get started. In order to use GitHub, you’ll need to first be able to complete these few steps. How to use GitHub:
1. Sign up for GitHub
2. Install Git
3. Create a Repository
4. Create a Branch
5. Create and Commit Changes to a Branch
6. Open a Pull Request
7. Merge Your Pull Request

### More About GitHub: The Open Source Community
There’s a lot to explore in GitHub. We’ve only scratched the surface so far, but we hope that brief GitHub tutorial was beneficial. You’ll quickly come to learn that GitHub is much more than just a version-control platform. You’ll find it’s almost a type of social media platform for programmers. The GitHub open source community gives you access to millions of open source projects. There you can get involved with a project or start one of your very own. Working on open source software is an awesome way to learn new skills and collaborate with bright programmers from whom you can learn a lot.

### Promoting Your GitHub Profile
GitHub is a great place to not only expand your programming knowledge, but also showcase your best work. Your GitHub Profile is a great place for recruiters to find you and reach out about potential jobs and projects. Many people strive to gain GitHub followers by writing engaging and helpful blog posts, or even by creating podcasts or YouTube GitHub tutorials. The more followers you have, the more opportunities will be open to you, and the greater ability you’ll have to become a thought leader in the programming space.

### Learning and Growing With GitHub
The best programmers are always learning. The world of computer programming is constantly evolving and new problems are being solved with code every day. In order to stay sharp, you need to be consistently discovering new ways to tackle problems. You need to be trying new things and collaborating with other programmers. The coding community is a tight-knit one, but it’s also large. There are so many people to learn from. GitHub has a wealth of features that enable you to collaborate with and learn from the best in the industry. Take some time to explore GitHub and discover how you can unlock your full potential and become an expert programmer.