Git and GitHub often appear in the same conversation, but they solve different problems. Git is a distributed version control system. It records changes in a repository and lets you inspect, branch, and combine that history on your own machine. GitHub hosts repositories and adds tools for reviewing code, tracking work, and collaborating online.
You can use Git without a GitHub account. You can also host a Git repository elsewhere. Understanding that distinction makes the everyday commands easier to reason about.
A simple mental model
- Your working tree holds the files you are editing.
- The staging area lets you choose what belongs in the next commit.
- A commit records a snapshot and a message explaining the change.
- A branch gives you a movable line of development.
- A remote is another copy of the repository, often hosted on GitHub.
When you run git push, you send commits to a remote. When you run git fetch, you bring remote history into your local repository without automatically combining it with your current work. A pull brings changes down and integrates them according to your Git configuration.
A habit worth learning early
Before committing, read git status and git diff. They show which files changed and what you are about to record. Keep commits focused on one coherent change and write messages that help a teammate understand why it happened. These habits become more useful as a project grows.
Git gives you a history you can investigate. GitHub gives a team a shared place to discuss and review that history. Neither replaces communication, but both make it easier to work together.