A 15 minute presentation at Pluralsight for non-programmers.
- GitHub is about Collaboration, Communication, and Code
- Even Google hosts code at GitHub (even though they have their own code hosting site).
- To understand GitHub, let's talk about what Source Code Control is, what git is, and how GitHub provides both.
- Facebook wasn't the first to help people share pictures of cats with funny captions.
- Software projects have used source code control since the 70's.
- Code projects are complex, but it helps that work is done in many different files and in simple text files where different changes can be harmonized.
- Git is fast, works online or off, allows developers to organize feature branches, fits in with an agile workflow. But it's confusing!
- GitHub makes git source code control social and smoothes over some of the confusing aspects of setting up a server and using git as a tool.
- The standard workflow includes forking a project (making your own copy), writing code, filing a pull request (and discussion), and an eventual merge into the main codebase.
- Pull requests are a powerful collaborative feature and sometimes include long conversations and enhancements before a feature is shipped.
- Anyone can use GitHub to collaborate on documents (but it is oriented toward tech workers).