Ever written some code, made changes, and then thought, “Wait… it was working before, how do I go back?” If yes—you’re ready to learn Git and GitHub.
🌱 What is Git?
Git is like a time machine—but for your code. It’s an open-source, distributed version control system.
Let’s break that down:
- Open-source: Free to use and modify (just like Python, Visual Studio Code, Linux, or Azure Machine Learning Studio).
- Version control: Git tracks changes to your files so you can revisit older versions, compare edits, or even recover deleted code.
- Distributed: Every developer has a full copy of the project’s history. That means you can work offline, make changes locally, and sync when you're ready.
📦 Real-World Example
Imagine you're working on a ASP.NET app in Visual Studio for your company’s internal dashboard. You add a new feature, but later realize it breaks existing functionality. With Git, you can:
- View what changed
- Switch back to the earlier version
- Try another approach — all without fear of losing anything
This same system is used by developers working on Azure AI Foundry, Visual Studio, Microsoft 365, or even open-source C++ libraries on GitHub.
📍 Where is Git used?
Git is used everywhere—from solo hobby projects to large-scale enterprise codebases. Whether you’re:
- Building a Python data pipeline in Azure Machine Learning Studio
- Creating a Java Spring Boot backend for your web app
- Experimenting with AI models responsibly using Azure Responsible AI
- Contributing to open-source C# libraries on GitHub Git is your best friend.
❓ Why Git?
Here’s why Git is powerful:
- 🧠 Keeps a memory of every change
- 🧑🤝🧑 Facilitates collaboration: Multiple people can work on the same project
- 🧪 Risk-free experimentation: Try new ideas in isolation with branches
- 🕵️♂️ Track issues fast: Use history logs to find when and why a bug was introduced
Analogy: Think of Git as Google Docs for code, but way more powerful. You can:
- Work offline
- Rewind anytime
- See who wrote what
- Restore lost versions
🔧 Git Setup and Installation
Getting started is easy:
- Visit https://git-scm.com/downloads
- Download the version for your OS (Windows, macOS, Linux)
- Install Git
If you're using Visual Studio Code, it comes with Git integration built in. Combine it with GitHub Copilot, and you’ll write and track smart code effortlessly!
🛠️ Core Git Concepts (With Real Examples)
📁 Working Tree
This is the folder where you actually work. Let’s say you're writing a C++ module for an edge device using Azure IoT Edge—your .cpp and .h files live here.
➕ Staging
You pick which changes to “stage” for saving. Think of this as your shopping cart—you can still remove or add things before you “checkout.”
✅ Commit
Now you're saving your staged changes to the local Git history. It’s like taking a snapshot of your project at that moment.
💻 Local Repository
This is your personal timeline. Changes live here until you're ready to sync them with others (using GitHub).
✨ Must-Know Git Commands
| Command | What It Does |
|---|---|
git init |
Initializes a Git repo |
git status |
Shows what’s changed |
git add . |
Stages all changes |
git commit -m "message" |
Saves changes with a message |
git log |
Shows commit history |
git reset --hard <SHA> |
Reverts to a specific state |
💡 Microsoft Developer Tip: Use these inside VS Code, Visual Studio, or Git Bash. You can also track your Azure DevOps Pipelines or .NET MAUI project code the same way.
🧠 Git vs GitHub
| Git | GitHub |
|---|---|
| Local version control | Cloud-based hosting service |
| Manages versions | Hosts repositories |
| CLI tool | Web UI with additional tools |
| Works offline | Needs internet to sync |
Imagine Git is your personal notebook, and GitHub is the shared digital library where everyone can read and contribute.
🌍 What is GitHub?
GitHub is a platform where:
- You can store, collaborate, and publish your code
- People can contribute to your project via Pull Requests
- Teams manage entire software projects across the globe
🎯 It’s where Microsoft hosts open-source SDKs for Azure AI, ML.NET, Power Platform Connectors, and more.
🔑 Common GitHub Terms (With Use Cases)
🌱 Branch
A sandbox to try new things.
Let’s say you’re building a C# WPF app and want to add Azure login. Create a new branch → add code → test → then merge if successful.
📣 Pull Request (PR)
Want your changes to be included in the main project? Raise a PR for someone to review it.
Example: You’re working with your team on a web app using Azure Static Web Apps. You improve the UI—raise a PR so your team lead can review and merge it.
🍴 Fork
Copy someone’s repository to your account.
You can:
- Add new features
- Fix bugs
- Learn from others’ code All without breaking the original.
💼 Real-Life Developer Workflow (Example)
Let’s say you’re a junior developer at a healthcare startup using Azure AI Foundry to build diagnostic models.
- Clone the repo using
git clone - Create a feature branch using
git checkout -b feature-azure-login - Make changes locally using Python and commit them
- Push the branch to GitHub:
git push origin feature-azure-login - Create a Pull Request
- Team reviews it → If approved → Merged to main branch
- Your code goes live with DevOps CI/CD pipelines
💡 Developer Tools That Work Seamlessly with Git & GitHub
| Tool | Integration |
|---|---|
| Visual Studio | Built-in Git and GitHub panel |
| VS Code | GitHub + GitHub Copilot + Azure DevOps |
| Azure DevOps | Git repos + Pipelines + Boards |
| Azure ML Studio | Track model versioning using Git |
| Azure AI Foundry | Source-controlled prompt flows and agents |
| .NET | GitHub Actions for deployment |
| Python | Track notebooks, use DVC or MLflow |
| Java | Use GitHub for managing Spring Boot APIs |
| C++ | Contribute to open-source libraries securely |
| Responsible AI | Audit logs, model cards, Git-integrated governance |
🔐 Developer Security with GitHub
Security isn’t optional. GitHub offers:
⚠️ Example: If you accidentally commit an API key while testing a Flask app, GitHub can automatically detect and alert you. Plus, you can integrate GitHub with Microsoft Sentinel for security telemetry.
🤝 Collaboration for Everyone
Whether you’re:
- A solo developer trying Azure Custom Vision
- A team working on a large-scale .NET microservices
- A student participating in Microsoft Imagine Cup
- Or a researcher using Azure ML pipelines
Git and GitHub are essential for collaboration, transparency, rollback, and confidence.
🚀 Final Thoughts
Learning Git and GitHub might seem overwhelming at first, but with consistent practice, they become second nature. They’re not just tools—they’re superpowers that every developer must wield.
🎯 You’ll write more confidently, break less code, and contribute to real-world projects—open-source, startup, enterprise, or research—while aligning with Microsoft’s developer ecosystem.
📚 Want to Go Further?
- Learn GitHub with VS Code
- Use Git in Azure DevOps
- Azure AI Foundry Overview
- Responsible AI Resources
- Microsoft Learn Path: GitHub Copilot
Blog by:
Deepthi Balasubramanian
Microsoft Student Ambassador - Gold
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