Git and GitHub from the beginner’s level — there are so many questions that come to mind. What exactly are they? How do they work together? What is actual usecase? And why are they so important for developers? In this episode, we’ll start from the very basics and break down every concept in a simple, practical way. Whether you’re new to coding or just getting started with version control, this is your first step toward mastering Git and GitHub.
In this article, we’ll explore and simplify some of the most common questions beginners have about Git and GitHub:
- What exactly are Git and GitHub, and how are they different?
- Why do developers use Git — and what problem does it solve?
- What is a Version Control System (VCS) and how does Git fit into it?
- What are the main benefits of using Git and GitHub in development?
- How to install and set up Git on your local system?
- How to create your first GitHub account and repository?
- How to connect your local project to GitHub and push your first code?
console.log("So, Lets start together");
Question 1: What exactly are Git and GitHub, and how are they different?
Before we jump into commands or setups, it’s important to understand what Git and GitHub actually are — because many beginners mix them up.
Git: Git is a Version Control System (VCS) — a CLI tool that helps you track changes in your code over time. It allows you to save snapshots (commits) of your project, go back to previous versions, and collaborate with others without overwriting each other’s work.
Think of Git as your personal time machine for code — it runs locally on your computer and keeps every version safe.
In simple terms, Git is an application that runs on your local system and constantly keeps track of your code changes inside any IDE or editor. Whenever you modify your code — like updating a line, adding new files, or removing old ones — Git detects those changes and manages them efficiently.
It does this by comparing your current project with the last commit, showing exactly what has changed. You can imagine it like a tree structure, where every commit is a new branch representing the evolution of your project.
Show this image:
In this image, you can see a tree with many branches and countless leaves.
This represents how Git works — the tree symbolizes a repository, each branch represents a separate line of development, and the leaves stand for the commits or changes made by developers. Just like every leaf grows from a branch, every commit in Git grows from a branch in your project’s history.
Github: GitHub is a cloud-based platform where developers can store, share, and collaborate on their Git repositories online. While Git helps you track and manage changes locally on your computer, GitHub allows you to publish that work so others can view it, collaborate with you, and contribute through features like pull requests and forks.
You can also control the visibility of your repositories.
If your repository is private, only you and your collaborators can access and manage it. If it’s public, anyone can view your project, fork it, and contribute which makes GitHub a powerful platform for both team projects and open-source contributions.
Think of GitHub as a home for your projects where teams can work together, review code, fix issues, and maintain versions safely. It’s also a great place to showcase your work, learn from other developers, and be part of the open-source community.
In simple words, Git is the engine, and GitHub is the garage where you park, share, and maintain your project. Now we move on next question...
Question 2: Why do developers use Git — and what problem does it solve?
When developers work on a project, they constantly make changes — fixing bugs, adding new features, or experimenting with ideas.
Without a system to track these updates, it becomes impossible to manage who changed what, when, and why especially when working in a team.
That’s where Git comes in.
Git helps developers:
- Track every change made in the project’s history.
- Revert back to a previous version if something breaks.
- Work on multiple features simultaneously using branches, without affecting the main code.
- Collaborate safely merging everyone’s code together while resolving conflicts efficiently.
- Keep a complete backup of the project’s entire change history.
The Real Problem It Solves
Before Git, developers had to manually manage project versions by saving folders like:
project-v1, project-final, project-final-final
That's how version control looks like...
Just for fun:
Next time your manager asks, “Who introduced this bug?”, you can confidently say,
“Not me — Git has the proof!”
Because Git and GitHub clearly show who changed what, and when right down to the exact line of code!
Question 3: What is a Version Control System (VCS) and how does Git fit into it?
Before understanding Git deeply, we need to know what a Version Control System (VCS) actually is.
A Version Control System is a tool that helps developers track and manage changes made to source code over time. It records every modification who made it, when, and why allowing teams to easily go back to previous versions whenever needed.
Why it’s important
Imagine you’re working on a large project with multiple developers.
Without version control, everyone would overwrite each other’s changes, lose progress, or have to keep countless folders like final_project_v2 and final_project_really_final.
With a VCS:
- Every change is recorded as a new version.
- You can compare old and new code easily.
- You can undo mistakes without losing progress.
- Teams can easily go with the flow with the same project...
This might make you wonder “Before Git and GitHub, how did developers handle big projects and manage their code?”
From research this software and tools are perform that action Apache Subversion (SVN), Mercurial (hg), Perforce Helix Core (P4) etc..
Question 4: What are the main benefits of using Git and GitHub in development?
Git and GitHub together make software development faster, safer, and more collaborative in your production you can easily rely on git when you implement CI/CD pipeline in your codebase then you don't worry about every time publish your website or project on server.
They don’t just help you save code they help you build, track, and improve it efficiently with your entire team.
Some Benefits..
1. Track Every Change
Git records every modification each developer make to repository.
You can easily see who changed what, when it was changed, and why making debugging and reviewing code much simpler.
2. Undo Mistakes Easily
If something goes wrong, you don’t have to panic.
Git lets you roll back to a previous version of your code instantly, just like a built-in safety net.
3. Work in Parallel with Branches
Multiple developers can work on the same project without overwriting each other’s changes.
Each feature or fix can be built in its own branch, then merged into the main project later.
4. Easy Collaboration
With GitHub, developers from anywhere can collaborate on the same project.
You can review pull requests, discuss issues, and contribute improvements together all from one place.
5. Backup and Accessibility
Since GitHub stores your repositories in the cloud, your projects are safe and accessible from anywhere.
Even if your local system crashes, your code remains secure online.
Now question 5, 6, 7 are on the track in next episode thank you...
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