Git & GitHub — End-to-End Guide

Features • Need • Uses • History • How to create account & connect local repo

What is Git?

Git is a distributed version control system for tracking changes in source code during software development. It helps teams collaborate, keeps history, and enables branching & merging.

Full form / name

There is no official "expanded" full form created by the author. Common informal expansions you may see:

  • Global Information Tracker — a tongue-in-cheek backronym often used to describe Git's role
  • "git" — the name chosen by Linus Torvalds; he has also joked about the meaning.

History (brief)

Git was created in 2005 by Linus Torvalds to support development of the Linux kernel when existing systems were not meeting the required performance and workflow needs. It quickly became the de-facto VCS for many projects.

Why you need Git (Need)

  • Track changes: See who changed what and when.
  • Collaboration: Multiple developers can work together safely.
  • Branching: Work on features or fixes independently.
  • History & rollback: Revert to previous versions if needed.
  • Backup & continuity: Repositories can be pushed to remote hosts (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket).

Key Features of Git

  • Distributed: Every clone is a full copy of the repository history.
  • Branches & merges: Lightweight branching model.
  • Staging area: Add changes selectively with git add.
  • Fast: Designed for performance with large repositories.
  • Integrity: Uses SHA-1/SHA-256 hashes to ensure content integrity.
  • Commit history: Detailed log of changes with messages and metadata.

Common Uses

  • Software development (open source & commercial)
  • Documentation & content versioning
  • Project management & experiments (branching workflows)
  • Backups of code & configuration

Install Git & Basic Local Setup

Install Git for your OS (Windows / macOS / Linux). After installation, configure your name & email:

git --version
# configure identity (run once)
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"

Note: On Windows you can use Git for Windows + Git Bash. On macOS you may already have Git via Xcode command line tools.

How to create a GitHub account (step-by-step)

  1. Open your browser and go to github.com.
  2. Click Sign up / Create an account.
  3. Enter your email, choose a username and password. Verify email when prompted.
  4. Choose a plan (Free is fine for public & private repos).
  5. Complete basic personalization (optional) and finish the signup steps.
  6. After signup, you'll have a GitHub profile and can create repositories from the GitHub UI using the New button.

Tip: verify your email address to enable pushing from local Git to GitHub and to create repositories without friction.