How to Use GitHub: The Best Courses and Resources

Whether it’s containing files and code for gaming mods, or other development tools, GitHub plays an integral role in creating and modifying content in the world of software development. If you decide to learn GitHub, it could allow you to streamline your coding process, ease project management tasks, and allow for robust and in-depth collaboration.

Let’s see why it is beneficial to learn both Git and the key concepts behind GitHub.

What Is GitHub?

GitHub is the leading Git repository hosting service that allows for easy sharing of code. GitHub and GitHub pages enable users to explore and interact with command lines, software development tools, and public repositories.

GitHub launched in 2008, was founded by a team of four talented software developers, Scott Chacon, Chris Wanstrath, Tom Preston-Werner, and P. J. Hyett. The team created a phenomenon, quickly garnering thousands of users and unique projects. Think of it as a form of software development social networking.

Today, Microsoft owns GitHub, along with the code hosting of well over 1 billion projects from over 30 million software developers.

Wait, What is Git?

Okay, if GitHub hosts all of these useful software development tools and allows for dynamic code hosting, then what is Git? Git is one of, if not the most famous, version control systems (VCS) on the Internet. Developed by Linus Torvalds in 2005, both Git and GitHub are open-source software that have changed the world of programming.

Git is also open-source and allows users to examine code changes, make said changes, and keep a detailed log for a software development project.

Git streamlines everything and makes every coder’s life a lot easier. Git and GitHub obviously go hand in hand, the former providing the ways and means of modifying and monitoring code. The latter offers convenient code hosting services so everyone can access projects.

What Jobs Use GitHub Skills?

Now that you know a bit more about both Git and Github, what are the most useful and notable jobs that allow you to use these skills?

• Software Developer. While rather general, the most prevalent career path that uses GitHub skills is in software development. Whether working solo or in a team of 500, software developers can use public and private repositories on GitHub to make projects come together. 
  
  

The ease of access with code hosting websites allows software developers to keep track of command lines, merging pull requests, and necessary code changes. It basically takes the headache out of in-depth software development. Becoming a software engineer holds many opportunities for those who put the work in.

• Web Developer. As with software development, a career in web development is one that heavily relies on Git and GitHub. Whether you are a front end, back end, or full stack web developer, chances are you will need the code hosting services of GitHub. 
  
  
• Database Administrator. The Database administrator’s position, along with being a career that uses Git and GitHub, is easily one of the best tech careers out there. Database administrators work for various companies, both large and small. 
  
  

These professionals are responsible for ensuring data, code, and software are in working order. Database administrators have considerable responsibilities, but if you know how to utilize Git and GitHub, the impressive salary is easily well worth the hard work. 

• IT Managers. Information technology management is by far one of the most lucrative tech jobs in our modern times. People in offices and other various workplaces depend on the impressive skills of computer professionals. As with database administrators and web developers, IT managers are masters of code, version control systems, and public repositories.
  
   

IT management is one of the highest paying jobs in the technical field. Knowing both Git and GitHub will equip you with the skills to face any technical challenge while keeping you and your fellow employees in the loop.

Steps to Learn GitHub

Now that you know how lucrative it is to learn GitHub and its various code hosting services, let’s find out the best way to learn GitHub, including the steps involved in mastering it.

1. Learn How to Use Git

Before you start hosting your software development code for others to modify, it makes sense to familiarize yourself with Git. Luckily, learning Git isn’t as in-depth as learning other programming languages. Is coding hard to learn? Sure, but with Git, the focus is on how software and web developers deliver and host that code. 

2. Learn How to Use GitHub

Now that you know how to use Git’s open-source software, the progression to using GitHub should be rather simple. Once familiar with software development and Git, it should only take a few hours to nail some of the basics of GitHub. However, this can be different for every developer. A great way to learn the intricacies of a service like GitHub is by taking GitHub courses.

3. Take GitHub Courses

Taking GitHub courses is a great way to master the basic and advanced aspects of this code hosting service. Courses will teach even amateur users how to share, modify, and monitor code.

There are also great coding bootcamps out there to give you a great, structured way of learning things like Git and GitHub. We’ll go over some fantastic GitHub courses to explore later in this article.

4. Practice With Your Own Projects

Git and GitHub have their roots in the act of software development collaboration. Both emphasize open-source, transparent coding, and development tools. As such, we recommend you try to use both Git and GitHub to upload your personal and professional projects to the code hosting site. This is perfect for practicing how a team of software developers can easily log in, change code, and show their changes.

The Best Courses to Learn GitHub

Although some users may take to GitHub with ease, it doesn’t mean that every software developer is the same. Even if you think you have the basics mastered, you should definitely check out the various resources and GitHub courses offered. Below are a few of the best GitHub courses you can enroll in right now. 

GitHub Ultimate: Master Git and GitHub – Beginner to Expert

As you already know, both Git and GitHub go hand in hand. You can’t master GitHub without knowing the basics of Git. This Udemy course, taught by expert Jason Taylor, goes over the exact ways to take a rookie Git user and turn them into a master GitHub professional.

This must-attend GitHub course takes beginners through the first steps of learning about public and private repositories, version control, and other development tools. Over about six and a half hours and 151 useful lectures, Taylor imbues you with the expertise needed to use Git and GitHub efficiently.

Introduction to Git and GitHub

From the experts at Google and hosted by Coursera, this great beginner course in Git and GitHub is perfect. Over about 18 hours, rookie software developers will learn how to master the command line, feel comfortable with GitHub’s user interface, and nail the key concepts of the code hosting service.

Most importantly, the Google team teaches you the fundamental ways in which collaboration is the ultimate key to success. Sprinkled throughout this GitHub course are tidbits about effective teamwork when using software development tools.

Introduction to GitHub from the GitHub Learning Lab

This is the first of a few great courses from the GitHub Learning Lab, a learning resource from the GitHub team themselves. Over 475,000 students take this comprehensive course in Git and GitHub, which is a testament to its efficacy.

In this GitHub course, you will become familiar with project management, merging pull requests, and code hosting. You will almost immediately see how useful this Git repository hosting service is. Clocking in at under an hour, this quick course will have software developers collaborating on and uploading projects to GitHub.

GitHub Actions: Hello World from the GitHub Learning Lab

Once again, the GitHub training team brings you the ‘Hello World’ course. In about 30 minutes, this course further develops your basic code knowledge and version control mastery needed for GitHub use.

This course is great for those interested in automation, developers and students should take the opportunity to learn the classic, basic example of coding through the ‘Hello World’ program. This is the essential first step in learning Git and GitHub.

The Ultimate Git 5-Day Challenge

This five-day free course in Git is essential to learn GitHub. Instead of drilling you with the finer points of Git and GitHub, this unique course examines whether or not Git and GitHub are right for you. Think of it as a primer course.

Hesitant about diving into both Git and GitHub? Not sure if GitHub is right for you and your software development team? Take this hour-long course over five days and you will learn the bare-bone information about GitHub to see if it fits in with your software development knowledge. Since it’s entirely free, it’s well worth a look for absolute beginners. 

Command Line Essentials: Git Bash for Windows

While the last free course from Udemy dealt with more general aspects of Git and GitHub, this free course deals with very specific GitHub details. The course specifically covers the Bash command line for Windows.

Students take quizzes and reflect on knowledge learned at the end of the short, free course. This is perfect for those somewhat familiar with Git and GitHub, you will need to download GitBash, the specific software development tool for Windows operating systems.

Git & GitHub Complete Masterclass: Beginner to Git Expert

Instructor Bibhash Roy takes students on a journey from the very beginning steps to eventually achieve mastery of Git and GitHub. Coming in at around 14 hours, this is a great, self-paced Udemy course that combines basic and advanced knowledge about this invaluable code hosting resource.

Students learn the steps from installing the software, all the way to comprehensive software development using GitHub. The beginning lectures in this course are especially useful. The bite-sized lectures take a look at the learner: who they are, why they want to learn Git and GitHub, and what they feel they can accomplish.

After mastering the beginning steps, students effortlessly transition to more intermediate topics and practices. Ending with, hopefully, a comfortable grasp of both Git and GitHub.

Why Learn GitHub?

Thanks to four very talented developers, GitHub has become a global phenomenon in software development. Its sheer brilliance lies in its simplicity and usefulness.

Whether you are a first-time project manager looking for efficient ways to manage your software development team, or a solo designer looking for some help collaborating on your latest video game, Git and GitHub are fantastic ways to boost the effectiveness of your project.

By following the above steps, including taking some of the best courses available, you will quickly master GitHub, proving to employers that you have a knack for transparency and collaborative knowledge.

Whether you choose resources like the GitHub training team or the GitHub learning lab, you will learn all you need to know about this unique code hosting giant.