GitHub Series #1 : What is Git? (And how is it different from GitHub?)

GitHub Series #1: What is Git? (And how is it different from GitHub?)

I’ll be sharing what I learn about GitHub, step by step, as a complete beginner. Since I’ve just started using it myself, I want to record each part of the journey in a way that’s easy to understand and follow. This is the first post in the series, and today we’re going to look at a very basic question : What exactly is Git?

GitHub Series #1: What is Git? (And how is it different from GitHub?)

What is Git?

Git is a version control system. It tracks changes made to your files over time, so you can go back to any point in history when needed. It’s most commonly used for managing source code, but you can use it with almost any kind of file.

Git is especially powerful when you're working with others, though it’s just as useful for personal projects.

Let’s look at a simple example

When editing a Word document, you might end up saving multiple versions like this:
project1.docx, project2.docx, final.docx, really_final.docx... It quickly becomes messy and confusing.

Git helps you manage those versions cleanly and automatically—no more duplicate files, and no more guessing which version is the latest.

Key Features of Git

  • Version Tracking : It keeps a history of when and how files have changed.
  • Revert Changes : You can restore a previous version anytime something goes wrong.
  • Collaboration Ready : It supports working on the same project with multiple people without conflict.

Note: When we say "collaboration," Git doesn’t connect you to others over the internet by itself. Rather, it provides the tools (like branches, merging, and conflict resolution) to enable collaboration locally. Actual team collaboration requires a shared space like GitHub.

So, what’s the difference between Git and GitHub?

When I first started, I thought GitHub was just a shorter name for Git. But they’re not the same thing at all!

  • Git was created by Linus Torvalds, the developer of Linux, in 2005. It’s a tool that runs on your computer, and it isn’t owned by any company.
  • GitHub is a website and cloud service launched in 2008 (now owned by Microsoft) that lets you store your Git repositories online, collaborate with others, and manage code together.

That’s why their logos are different too—Git is a tool, while GitHub is a full platform with a friendly mascot called Octocat 🐙.

Summary

We’ve covered the basics of what Git is, what it does, and how it’s different from GitHub. In the next post, I’ll walk through how to create a GitHub account and make your first repository.

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