GitHub

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Mapping collaborative software on GitHub

Number of open source contributors by company

GitHub is a web-based hosting service for version control using Git. It provides a platform for software development and version control with Git, offering both distributed version control and source code management (SCM) functionality. GitHub facilitates social coding by providing a web interface to the Git code repository and management tools for collaboration. It was founded in April 2008 by Tom Preston-Werner, Chris Wanstrath, and PJ Hyett.

Overview

GitHub allows users to upload repositories of their software projects, which can then be stored publicly or privately. Other users can collaborate on these projects by forking the repository, making their changes, and submitting pull requests to the original repository, where the changes can be merged. GitHub integrates with various cloud computing platforms and offers features such as bug tracking, feature requests, task management, and wikis for every project.

Features

• Repositories: GitHub users can create and maintain repositories for their projects, which can contain all types of files (e.g., source code, documentation).
• Forks and Pull Requests: Users can fork a repository, make changes, and then submit a pull request to the original repository to propose their changes.
• Issues and Bug Tracking: GitHub provides an issue tracking feature that allows users to report bugs or request features.
• GitHub Actions: A CI/CD feature that automates workflows to build, test, and deploy software directly from GitHub.
• GitHub Pages: Users can host their static websites directly from a GitHub repository.

GitHub and Open Source

GitHub has become a significant figure in the open source community, providing a platform where developers can share their code with others and contribute to open source projects. It hosts a vast number of open source projects and encourages collaborative work among developers worldwide.

Acquisition by Microsoft

In June 2018, Microsoft announced its acquisition of GitHub for $7.5 billion in Microsoft stock. The acquisition was completed in October 2018. Despite initial concerns from the developer community, Microsoft has maintained GitHub's open platform and has integrated it with its own software development tools and services.

Impact on Software Development

GitHub has had a profound impact on software development practices, promoting the use of Git for version control and encouraging collaborative, open-source project development. It has become an essential tool for both individual developers and large organizations, including Google, Apple, and Amazon, who use GitHub to manage their software projects.

See Also

• Git
• Version control
• Software development
• Open source