GitHub: Going One Beyond for Developers

For those of you that don’t already know, GitHub is a popular web-based platform for software development and version control. It has gained immense popularity among individual developers and enterprises alike, providing a range of tools and features that make it easier to collaborate, manage code and deploy applications.  

In this blog post, I’ll explain why GitHub is a great choice for businesses, including startups, small and medium-sized enterprises through to large corporations. However, in my next blog, I’ll also look at Azure DevOps, which is a similar system, but with its own set of unique strengths.   

Easy collaboration

One of the primary advantages of GitHub is that it makes collaboration easier via it’s open source nature. Whether you are working on a project alone or in a team, GitHub allows you to easily share code, manage changes, and track progress. GitHub provides a range of tools and features that enable teams to work together seamlessly, including pull requests, issues and comments. These tools allow developers to give feedback, discuss issues and suggest changes, making it easier to collaborate effectively. 

Better code management

GitHub provides an efficient way to manage code, whether you are working on a small project or a large enterprise application. It allows you to create and manage repositories, where you can store code and collaborate with others. This way, you can easily track changes, roll back to previous versions and maintain code quality. Additionally, GitHub integrates with a range of development tools, making it easier to automate code management processes. 

Improved security

GitHub is a secure platform that provides a range of security features, making it a great choice for businesses. It encrypts all data, both at rest and in transit, using industry-standard encryption protocols. Additionally, it provides a range of access controls and permissions, making it easy to manage user access and ensure data security. GitHub also provides tools to help you identify and fix security vulnerabilities in your code. 

Automation and integration

GitHub integrates with a range of development tools, making it easier to automate code management processes. For example, you can use it to trigger automated builds, tests, and deployments, reducing the manual effort required. Additionally, it integrates with a range of third-party tools, making it easier to manage your entire software development pipeline. 

Community support

It has a large and active community of developers, providing a range of benefits for businesses. You can find open source code, libraries and tools that can help you accelerate development and reduce costs. Additionally, you can collaborate with other developers, get help with technical issues, and share knowledge and expertise. 

Artificially Intelligent

GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered code completion tool developed by GitHub and OpenAI. It uses machine learning to suggest lines of code in real-time based on the context of the code being written. It has access to a vast amount of open-source code on GitHub and can understand the programming language and the intent of the programmer. GitHub Copilot has the potential to revolutionise the way developers work by saving them time and effort in writing repetitive code. 

SEO Value

While GitHub is primarily a platform for software development collaboration, it also offers significant SEO value for businesses. When a company creates a public repository on GitHub, it can include a description, metadata, and keywords related to the project. This information can be optimised for search engines to increase the visibility of the repository in search results, thus making it easier for potential collaborators or customers to find the project. Additionally, the repository can include links to the company’s website or social media profiles, providing additional opportunities for search engine optimisation. Overall, creating a public repository on GitHub can be a valuable part of a company’s SEO strategy. 

Cost-effective

Furthermore, GitHub provides a range of pricing plans that can suit different business needs, making it a cost-effective choice for businesses of all sizes. Whether you are a small startup or a large enterprise, it provides pricing plans that are affordable and scalable. Additionally, it provides a free plan that includes unlimited public repositories and up to three private repositories, making it a great choice for small projects and individual developers. 

From my perspective, GitHub is a great choice for businesses of all sizes. With its easy collaboration, better code management, improved security, automation and integration, community support, and cost-effectiveness, it provides a range of benefits that can help businesses achieve their software development goals. Whether you are a startup, a small business, or a large corporation, this open source platform can provide the tools and features you need to succeed. 

One Beyond’s commitment to the open source community encourages an attitude of collaboration, transparency, and flexibility; a philosophy that enables developers across the world to fulfil their potential and create ground-breaking software, as well as giving back to the open source community the same value that we receive from it. So do take the time to look at One Beyond’s Github instance or contact me directly if you’d like to understand more about open source platforms and/or what One Beyond offer.