Git vs GitHub: Difference Between Git and GitHub

In the world of technology, naming conventions often seem like inside jokes shared by developers. Ruby on Rails isn’t a gemstone transport system, Swift isn’t just about speed but also elegance in coding, and Docker isn’t a shipyard worker—it’s a tool for containerizing applications. For someone hearing about Git and GitHub for the first time, the relationship could be as perplexing as comparing a recipe to a restaurant menu—one helps you produce and oversee the ingredients (code), while the other displays and distributes the result (projects) with the world. 

Following are the concepts that are covered in this blog:

• What is a Version Control System?
• What is Git?
• What is GitHub?
• Difference Between Git and GitHub

What is a Version Control System?

A version control system (VCS) helps save a project’s program, tracks changes made to the code/ and undoes those changes if necessary. A VCS is helpful when working with huge projects. It can easily overcome conflicts.

When it is clear what a version control system is, it is easier to understand Git. In this Git vs GitHub blog, let’s get into the discussion about what Git and GitHub are.

What is Git?

Git is an open-source, distributed version control system that helps project team members work together on a project and collaborate easily. It also allows the changes done by multiple members to be merged into one source. So, with Git, you will be working on your part of the code, which will be saved in the project repository.

1. Features of Git

• Compatibility: Git is compatible with all operating systems. It can also access remote repositories created by subversion (SVN).
• Branching: The branching feature helps make modifications to the project without affecting the original version.
• Reliability: The data stored in the central repository is always backed up. Even when the central server is crashed, the data will never be lost, and it can be gained back easily.
• Speed: Git handles large projects more efficiently. It is very fast and scalable compared to other version control systems (VCS).
• Economical: Git can be used for free, and it is released under the General Public License (GPL) that helps save money spent on pricey servers.

2. Steps to Install Git:

Step 1: Download the latest version of Git for your operating system, click here

Step 2: After completing the download process, open it. If you get a dialog box showing ‘Do you want to allow this app?’ then click on Yes. Or, if the below dialog box appears, click on Next.

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Step 3: If you want to go with the default location, click on Next, or you can change the location by clicking on the Browse option

Step 4: Click on Next to install the default components. Otherwise, you can install additional components by selecting the checkboxes below.

Step 5: Click on Next for the default start menu folder, or Browse for a new folder location

Step 6: Click on Next to select the default text editor for Git

Step 7: Click on Next to adjust your path environment

Step 8: Choose the SSL/TLS library that you will use for an HTTPS connection, and then click on Next

Step 9: Click on Next to select the default line endings, or you can choose the other options

Step 10: For Git Bash, choose the terminal emulator, and then click on Next

Step 11: Select all extra options you want to configure, and then click on Install

Step 12: Select any of the two options in the below screenshot, and click on Next/Finish to complete the setup

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Step 13: Once Git GUI is launched by the bash shell, type in the Git GUI command, and press then Enter

Step 14: Now, you can create a new repository or clone and open an existing repository. Try creating a new repository by entering the directory name.

Step 15: As you can see, you have created a blank repository now!

In this ‘Git vs GitHub’ blog, you have understood about Git. Let’s now take a look at what GitHub is.

Check out our beginner’s guide to Git & GitHub!

What is GitHub?

GitHub is a cloud-based distributed version control system that is user-friendly and also offers a Git repository hosting service. This makes it easy for developers and team members to collaborate. You can sign in and host a public code repository for free. The project repositories will be stored in the GitHub cloud. It is like a ‘cloud for the code.’

1. Features of GitHub

• Drag-and-drop gist: Gist is a GitHub widget that allows hosting a piece of code in your file. It also provides a large number of code snippets in various languages.
• File finder: This feature is used to navigate quickly through the files present in any project repository. To activate this feature, you have to hit the ‘T’ key or type the file name that is there in your mind.
• GitHub emoji: GitHub emojis are tiny emotional icons that can express people’s feelings. You can add these emojis in the README.md file and Wiki.
• Linking lines: This feature is used to share the specific lines of a file by adding #L followed by the number of the line. Here, you need to copy the starting and ending lines and paste them after the #L parameter, e.g., #L5-15. This selects lines from 5 to 15.
• Git.io: Git.io is used to shorten GitHub URLs. This feature makes it easy to share your GitHub repository.

2. Steps to Install GitHub

Step 1: To download the latest version of GitHub for your operating system, click here

Step 2: Click on Download for Windows (64-bit)

Step 3: Click on Run when prompted

Step 4: Allow to download and install

Once the installation is completed, the GitHub desktop will be launched.

Step 5: After signing in with your credentials, you can start working on the GitHub desktop.

On the GitHub desktop, you can perform various tasks such as merge, collaborate, rebase, and many more. GitHub won’t work on your local computer if you have not installed Git on it.

Now, you can probably answer the question: What is Git? And what is GitHub? You also know about their advantages. So, let’s dwell on the focus of this blog: GitHub vs Git.

Want to learn more about Git? Check out our blog on Git Commands.

Difference Between Git and GitHub

Below are some of the major differences between Git and GitHub:

If you’re new to Git and GitHub or want to explore more in this field to advance your career, your right path will be to sign up with Intellipaat’s Git and GitHub Training. Through this online training course, you will gain a great understanding of how Git or GitHub is being used. If you’re interested in learning more about DevOps, consider delving into our DevOps course.