Git and GitHub for Beginners: Why Every Tech Job Uses Them

If you are learning tech, you will hear about Git and GitHub almost immediately. This guide to Git and GitHub for beginners explains what they are, why nearly every tech team relies on them, and the small set of commands you need to start using them today.

In one sentence: Git is a tool that records the history of your files, and GitHub is a website that stores Git projects online so people can share and collaborate on them. You do not need to master every feature. A handful of commands will carry you through your first projects, and the rest you learn as you go.

What is Git?

Git is a version control system. It runs on your computer and keeps track of changes to the files in a project folder. Each time you save a meaningful set of changes, you create a "commit", which is like a labelled snapshot.

That gives you some powerful abilities:

• Go back in time. If you break something, you can return to an earlier working version.
• See what changed. Git shows exactly which lines were added or removed, and when.
• Work on ideas safely. Branches let you try a new feature without touching the working version.
• Collaborate. Several people can work on the same project and combine their changes.

Git was created by Linus Torvalds in 2005 to manage development of the Linux kernel. It is free and open source, and it is now the standard version control tool across the industry.

What is GitHub, and how is it different from Git?

GitHub is an online service that hosts Git repositories (project folders tracked by Git). It adds features on top of Git, such as:

• A web page for each project, showing its files and history.
• Pull requests, where people propose changes and others review them before they are merged.
• Issues for tracking bugs and tasks.
• Automation tools such as GitHub Actions for testing and deploying code.

The short version: Git does the tracking, GitHub does the sharing. You can use Git without GitHub, but most teams use both, or Git with a similar platform like GitLab.

Why does every tech job use Git?

Because almost every tech team writes or manages files that change over time, and they need a reliable history.

• Developers (frontend, backend, mobile) use Git all day to manage code.
• DevOps and SRE engineers store infrastructure configuration and deployment scripts in Git.
• Data analysts and data scientists keep SQL queries, notebooks and scripts in Git.
• QA engineers store automated tests in the same repositories as the code they test.
• Security engineers review code changes in pull requests and scan repositories for exposed secrets.
• Technical writers increasingly keep documentation in Git too.

Even product managers often read pull requests and issues to follow progress. Knowing Git is a basic expectation in most technical roles, so learning it early removes a barrier later. Not sure yet which of these roles you are aiming for? Take the free TechDNA assessment to find out where your strengths point.

How do you install Git and get started?

Download Git from the official site (git-scm.com) for Windows, or install it with your system's package manager on Linux or macOS. Then open a terminal and confirm it works:

git --version

Tell Git who you are. This name and email appear on your commits:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"

What are the basic Git commands?

Here is the core loop you will use most days.

Start a project

Inside a project folder, turn it into a Git repository:

git init

Check what has changed

git status

This shows which files are new, modified or ready to be committed. Run it often.

Stage and commit changes

Staging chooses which changes go into your next snapshot. Committing saves that snapshot with a message:

git add index.html
git commit -m "Add homepage layout"

Use git add . to stage every change in the current folder. Write commit messages that say what the change does.

See your history

git log --oneline

Work on a branch

git switch -c add-contact-form

This creates a new branch and moves you onto it. When you are done, switch back with git switch main and combine the work:

git merge add-contact-form

How do you put your project on GitHub?

1. Create a free account on GitHub.
2. Click "New repository", give it a name and create it without adding any files.
3. Connect your local project and upload it, using the URL GitHub shows you:

git branch -M main
git remote add origin https://github.com/your-username/your-repo.git
git push -u origin main

After that first push, sending new commits is simply:

git push

To download an existing project from GitHub to your computer:

git clone https://github.com/username/repo.git

GitHub no longer accepts your account password for pushing over HTTPS. You will sign in through a browser prompt or use a personal access token, or you can set up SSH keys. The official GitHub documentation walks through each option.

How does GitHub help you get hired?

For beginners without work experience, GitHub works as a public portfolio.

• Show your projects. Recruiters and hiring managers can see real code, not just claims on a CV.
• Write good READMEs. A clear README explaining what a project does, how to run it and what you learned makes a strong impression.
• Show consistency. Regular commits suggest steady practice, though quality matters more than quantity.
• Contribute to open source. Even small fixes to documentation show you can work with other people's code.

Our guide on building a tech portfolio with no experience covers how to choose and present projects.

Common Git mistakes beginners make

• Committing everything in one huge commit. Commit small, logical changes with clear messages.
• Committing passwords or API keys. Never put secrets in a repository, especially a public one. Use a .gitignore file to exclude files like .env.
• Being afraid of the terminal. Git has graphical tools, and VS Code has Git built in, but learning the commands helps you understand what is really happening.
• Panicking at merge conflicts. A conflict just means two changes touched the same lines. Git marks them, you choose what to keep and commit the result.
• Only reading about Git. Make a practice repository and experiment. Breaking things there is free.

Where can you learn Git for free?

• The official Git documentation at git-scm.com, including the free Pro Git book.
• GitHub's own documentation and beginner guides.
• freeCodeCamp, which has Git tutorials.
• TechLearnX, Techera's learning platform, has a free foundation course on Git and GitHub at techlearnx.techera.ng, alongside free courses on computing, Linux and programming.

Git commands run in a terminal, so a little command-line comfort helps. See our guide to Linux basics for tech careers.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know Git before applying for tech jobs?

For most technical roles, yes, at least the basics: cloning, committing, branching, pushing and opening a pull request. It is often assumed rather than tested in detail, so not knowing it can slow you down in your first weeks.

Is GitHub free?

GitHub offers free accounts that include public and private repositories, which is plenty for learning and portfolios. Paid plans add features mostly aimed at teams and organisations. Check GitHub's site for current plan details.

Can I use Git without internet?

Yes. Git works entirely on your computer, so you can commit, branch and view history offline. You only need internet to push to or pull from GitHub, which is handy when power or data is unreliable.

Should I learn Git commands or use a graphical tool?

Learn the basic commands first so you understand what each action does. After that, use whatever helps you work faster, such as VS Code's Git panel or GitHub Desktop. Many professionals use both.

Git is a skill every technical role shares, but the roles themselves differ a lot. Take the free TechDNA assessment to see which of nine tech roles fit how you think, along with recommended courses to start with.