GitHub is a platform that supports your entire software development process, from planning work to deploying and operating software. In this article GitHub is a platform for building software. Whether you are starting a new project or contributing to an existing one, GitHub brings together the tools and workflows you need across every stage of the software development life cycle (SDLC). GitHub and the software development life cycle The software development life cycle describes the stages a software project moves through, from the first idea to running code in production. GitHub is designed to support every stage of that process. You do not need to use every stage at once. Many people start with a repository and a few issues, then expand their use of the platform as their project grows. GitHub is based on the open-source software, Git. Git is a version control system that tracks changes to files. It lets you work on your own copy of a project, record a history of your changes, and merge your work with other people's changes safely. GitHub builds on Git by hosting your Git projects, called repositories , in the cloud, as well as adding planning and collaboration tools that make it easier for teams to work together. For more information about Git, see About Git . Is GitHub right for me? GitHub is used by students, developers, project managers, security teams, data scientists, researchers, human resources and legal staff, and many others across organizations of all sizes. Some of the most common reasons people use GitHub are: Store and manage code with version control. Write code, review code, manage security vulnerabilities and updates. Collaborate and socialize on projects.

Contribute to open source software. Track and manage projects. Automate software development workflows like CI/CD, testing, and deployments. Showcase and share work. Publish and release software packages. Host documentation and websites. Participate in software development communities and discussions. Use AI-powered tools and agents to help write, understand, review, and automate code development faster. Where do I start? If you're new to GitHub and unfamiliar with Git, we recommend working through the articles in the Start your journey category. The articles show you how to perform common tasks software developers do using GitHub, such as: Create a repository for your software project and store the code on GitHub, see Creating a repository for your project on GitHub . Plan your work by creating issues and tracking your project work. Connect to your code on your local machine and use the GitHub Desktop application to manage code changes with Git. Write and store your code , optionally pair with an AI assistant, and sync your changes with GitHub. Review your proposed code changes by creating pull requests and reviewing your own changes before you merge. Deploy your website using automated deployment workflows, allowing you to publish a basic website for your software project.