What is the difference between Git and GitHub?

Introduction

GitHub is one of the key platforms every software developer must know. Today, GitHub is being used by millions of individuals and businesses to maintain their code repos, team collaboration, and DevOps. The technology that runs GitHub is based on Git. Many Developers get confused between Git and GitHub. In this article, learn about the difference between Git and GitHub. 

So let's understand here.

What is Git?

Git is a DevOps tool for source code management. It is a free and open-source version control system used to handle small to very large projects efficiently. Git is used for tracking changes in the source code, enabling multiple developers to work together on non-linear development.

Git Download Url- Git

What is GitHub?

GitHub is a code hosting platform for version control and collaboration. It lets you and others work together on projects from anywhere. It's used for storing, tracking, and collaborating on software projects.

GitHub Url- GitHub

Difference between Git and GitHub
 

Git	Github
Git is a Software.	GitHub is a Service.
Git is maintained by Linux.	Github is maintained by Microsoft.
Git can manage source code history.	GitHub is a hosting service for git repositories.
Git was released in 2005.	GitHub was launched in 2008.
Git is installed locally on the system.	GitHub is hosted on the web.
Git is focused on version control and code sharing.	Github is focused on centralized source code hosting.
Git has no user management feature.	GitHub has a built-in user management feature.

Git and GitHub are two different but related things, with Git being a version control system and GitHub being a platform for hosting and collaborating on Git repositories.

Git is a distributed version control system that allows you to track changes in your codebase over time. It allows multiple developers to work on the same codebase simultaneously and merge their changes together. Git stores all the changes made to a project in a repository, which can be hosted locally or remotely.

On the other hand, GitHub is a web-based platform that allows developers to host their Git repositories online and collaborate with others. GitHub provides additional features such as issue tracking, code review, and project management tools. It is a popular platform for open-source projects, where developers worldwide can contribute to a project.

Some key differences between Git and GitHub are,

• Git is a version control system, while GitHub is a platform for hosting and collaborating on Git repositories.
• Git can be used locally or remotely, while GitHub is only available as a remote platform.
• Git is open source and free, while GitHub offers free and paid plans.
• Git is a command-line tool, while GitHub provides a graphical user interface (GUI) and web-based interface.
• Git can be used with other hosting services besides GitHub, while GitHub is designed specifically for Git repositories.

When to use Git?

Source code version control is one of the basic needs of software development. Code sharing and collaboration is other needs of software development teams. Git is an extremely useful tool for anyone who works with computer files and wants to keep track of changes made to those files over time. Here are some specific scenarios where Git is commonly used:

1. Software development- Git is essential for software development, as it allows multiple developers to work on the same codebase simultaneously, keep track of changes, and collaborate effectively.
2. Project management- Git can be used for project management, as it allows users to assign tasks, track progress, and keep track of changes made to project files.
3. Documentation- Git can be used for version control of documentation and technical writing, such as user manuals, technical specifications, and other types of documentation.
4. Web development- Git can be used for web development, as it allows developers to manage changes to web content, track changes to the codebase, and collaborate effectively.
5. Research- Git can be used for version control of research data and code, as it allows researchers to track changes made to data and code, collaborate with others, and reproduce results.

When to use Github?

GitHub is a web-based hosting service that provides a platform for Git repositories. It is widely used by software developers and other professionals for collaboration, version control, and project management. Here are some specific scenarios where GitHub is commonly used:

1. Software development- GitHub is an essential tool for software development, as it provides a centralized platform for managing code repositories, collaborating with other developers, and tracking issues and bugs.
2. Open source development- GitHub is widely used for open source development. It provides a platform for developers to contribute to projects and collaborate with others in the open-source community.
3. Documentation- GitHub can be used for version control of technical documentation, as it provides a platform for maintaining documentation and collaborating with others on documentation projects.
4. Project management- GitHub can be used for project management, as it provides tools for issue tracking, project boards, and milestones.
5. Continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD)- GitHub can be used for continuous integration and deployment, as it integrates with popular tools like Jenkins, Travis CI, and CircleCI to automate testing and deployment workflows.

Today, Github is used by hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of businesses and individuals to store their source code, maintain version control, collaborate, and use for DevOps.

If you are new to Github, start here: Git and GitHub for Beginners.

If you want to set up your .NET project on Github, start here- Set Up GitHub With .NET Project.

Summary

In summary, Git is a powerful version control system that allows developers to track changes to their codebase over time, while GitHub is a web-based platform that provides a way to host Git repositories online and collaborate with others. Together, they provide a powerful set of tools for managing software projects.