Getting Started

Begin using GitHub to manage Git repositories and collaborate with teams.

Understand what Git is, learning resources, and essential tools.

Meanings of Terms or Concepts in Git & GitHub

Basic Concepts

• 1 - What is a Repository?

• A Repository is the fundamental element of GitHub. It is essentially a project folder, resembling the type of folder you find in Apple iCloud or Google Drive.

• 2 - What is Commit?

• While the literal translation of Commit is “commitment,” in Git & GitHub, it is more akin to the word “Save.” It involves updating a file in its original folder, replacing an old version. Commit is easily one of the most essential activities developers undertake using GitHub. Each commit represents a change made by an individual in a file (or group of files). It is similar to saving a file, except that in Git, each save generates a unique identifier (also known as SHA or hash) that allows you to keep a record of changes made and who made them.

• 3 - What is Clone?

• A clone is a copy of a repository on a developer’s computer rather than on a server elsewhere. Cloning is a good duplication that allows you to download code instructions for modification and changes, even in an offline mode, for editing in a code editor or integrated development environment.

• 4 - What is Branch?

• The branch is a similar version of the repository, branching off from the main repository, like a temporary subfolder. It exists in the repository but does not affect the main branch or project directly. This allows you to work freely without disrupting the direct main version.

• 5 - What is Fetch?

• Fetch refers to obtaining change events from a repository online (such as GitHub) without merging them. Once these changes are fetched, you can compare them with the local branches of code on your local machine.

• 6 - What is Fork?

• Fork is a personal copy of another user’s repository on your GitHub account. Forking allows you to make changes freely to a project without affecting the original project, providing limitless opportunities for experimentation and learning from others’ work. The forked project is also attached to the original project, allowing you to send a pull request to the original project owner to update the changes, ensuring that you always work on an up-to-date codebase.

• 7 - What is Push?

• Push refers to sending the changes you made to a repository on GitHub. For example, if you made a local change, you want to push these changes so that others can access them.

• 8 - What is Pull?

• Pull refers to the time when you bring changes and merge them. For instance, if someone edits a file in the project you are working on, you will need to pull or fetch these changes into your local copy to update it as well.

• 9 - What is a Pull Request?

• A Pull Request is a proposed change to a repository made by a user, which collaborators in the repository can accept or reject.

• 10 - What is Issue?

• Issues refer to proposed improvements or questions related to the repository. Anyone can create an issue for public repositories, and they are managed by collaborators.

• 11 -What is Blame?

• Blame is a feature in Git that reviews versions of code files that led to an error, helping identify the last modification to each line of the file.

• 12 - What is Merge?

• Merge takes changes from one branch within the same repo or from a fork and applies them to another branch. Merging can be done automatically through a pull request on the GitHub web interface or manually through the command line.

Additional Concepts

• 13 - What is Check?

• Check is a type of status check on GitHub, verifying the repository’s condition.

• 14 - What is Collaborator?

• A Collaborator is someone with read-and-write access to a repository, invited by the repository owner to contribute.

• 15 - What is a Private Repository?

• A Private Repository is a repository that can only be viewed or contributed to by the owner or designated collaborators.