How to Use GitHub: A Step-by-Step Guide

Quick Answer

GitHub is a platform for storing, managing, sharing and collaborating on software projects using Git. To use GitHub, you can create an account, create a repository, add your project files, make commits, push changes and collaborate with other developers.

You can also use GitHub Pages to publish a static website without buying separate web hosting or a domain name. Your website can be published using a free github.io address, while a custom domain can be added later if you want one. GitHub Docs

If you are learning Web Development, GitHub is useful not only for storing your code but also for building a portfolio, collaborating on projects, sharing your work and putting websites online.

What Is GitHub and How Is It Used?

GitHub is a platform that allows developers to store and manage their code and collaborate with other people on software projects.

Think of it as a place where your project can live online.

Instead of keeping a website project only on your laptop, you can upload it to a GitHub repository. You can then track changes, share the project, collaborate with other developers and, in some cases, publish the project as a live website.

GitHub is built around Git, a version control system.

Git helps you keep track of changes made to your project.

GitHub provides an online platform where you can store those projects and collaborate with others.

This distinction is important:

Git is the version control system.

GitHub is the platform that hosts Git repositories and provides tools for collaboration and project management.

You will often use them together, but they are not the same thing.

Why Should You Learn How to Use GitHub?

If you are learning Web Development or another programming-related skill, knowing how to use GitHub can become an important part of your workflow.

It can help you:

Store your projects online
Keep track of changes
Share your code
Collaborate with other developers
Build a developer portfolio
Contribute to projects
Demonstrate your work to potential employers
Publish certain types of websites
Keep your projects organised

For example, imagine you have built a portfolio website while learning HTML and CSS.

You could leave the files on your computer.

Or you could put the project on GitHub, publish it through GitHub Pages and share the live website with someone.

That gives you something concrete to show.

Instead of saying:

“I know how to build websites.”

You can say:

“Here is a website I built.”

That difference matters when you are trying to demonstrate a practical skill.

How to Create a GitHub Account

Before using GitHub, you need a GitHub account.

Go to GitHub and create an account.

During the registration process, you will choose a username.

Think carefully about your username because it can become part of your public GitHub profile and, if you use GitHub Pages for a personal site, part of your website address.

For example:

username.github.io

Your GitHub profile can eventually become part of your professional presence as a developer.

That is why it is worth keeping your profile organised and presenting your projects properly.

What Is a GitHub Repository?

A repository, often called a repo, is where your project files and their version history are stored.

You can think of a repository as a project folder that lives on GitHub.

A repository can contain:

HTML files
CSS files
JavaScript files
Python files
Images
Documentation
Configuration files
Project information
Other resources required by the project

For example, if you build a portfolio website, you might create a repository called:

my-portfolio

Inside it, you could have:

my-portfolio
│
├── index.html
├── style.css
├── script.js
└── images/

The exact structure depends on your project.

How to Create Your First GitHub Repository

After signing into GitHub:

Open your GitHub account.
Select the option to create a new repository.
Give the repository a name.
Add a description if necessary.
Choose the repository visibility.
Create the repository.

GitHub’s own Pages documentation also uses the repository approach when setting up a website. GitHub Docs

For your first project, keep the repository name simple and descriptive.

For example:

portfolio-website

is easier to understand than:

project123456

A clear repository name also makes your profile look more organised.

How to Upload Your Project to GitHub

Once you have created a repository, you can add your project files.

If you are using GitHub directly through your browser, you can upload files to the repository.

For a simple website, you might upload:

index.html
style.css
script.js
Images
Other website files

After uploading or changing files, GitHub will ask you to make a commit.

What Is a Commit in GitHub?

A commit is essentially a recorded change to your project.

Imagine you have a website and you change the heading on the homepage.

You can commit that change with a message such as:

Updated homepage heading

This gives you a record of what changed.

As your project develops, you may make many commits.

For example:

Created homepage
Added navigation
Added CSS styling
Added contact section
Fixed mobile layout
Updated footer

This becomes useful because you can understand how your project developed over time.

What Does Push Mean in GitHub?

If you are working with Git on your computer, you will encounter the word push.

Pushing means sending your local commits and changes to a remote repository, such as the repository hosted on GitHub.

A simplified workflow might look like:

Edit → Commit → Push

You make changes to your project on your computer.

You commit those changes using Git.

Then you push them to GitHub.

Your GitHub repository is updated with those changes.

How to Push Code to GitHub From Your Computer

If Git is installed on your computer and your project is connected to a GitHub repository, you can use commands such as:

git add .
git commit -m "Updated website"
git push

The process is more detailed when you are setting up Git for the first time, but these commands represent a common part of the workflow.

The important thing is to understand what each step means rather than memorising commands without knowing what they do.

git add prepares changes.

git commit records the changes.

git push sends those commits to the remote repository.

How to Use GitHub for Projects

GitHub becomes particularly useful when you are working on real projects.

For example, suppose you are learning Web Development and decide to build a website for a fictional restaurant.

You could create a GitHub repository called:

restaurant-website

Then you could:

Build the website.
Store the files in the repository.
Commit your changes.
Push updates to GitHub.
Publish the website using GitHub Pages.
Add the finished project to your portfolio.

Now you have something you can show when applying for opportunities.

This is one reason GitHub can be more than a place to store code.

It can become part of your evidence of practical ability.

You Don’t Need to Buy Hosting or a Domain to Publish a Simple Website

This is one of the most useful things people learning Web Development should understand.

If you have built a static website, you do not necessarily need to immediately buy:

Web hosting
A domain name
A separate hosting package

You can use GitHub Pages.

GitHub Pages is a static site hosting service that takes HTML, CSS and JavaScript files from a GitHub repository and publishes them as a live website. GitHub Docs

For example, instead of paying for a domain such as:

www.myportfolio.com

you can initially use a GitHub Pages address such as:

https://yourusername.github.io/

For a project site, the URL can also follow the repository structure, such as:

https://yourusername.github.io/project-name/ GitHub Docs

This can be particularly useful for students who are learning Web Development and want to practise publishing websites without immediately paying for hosting.

How to Host a Website on GitHub Pages

Let’s say you have created a simple website with:

index.html
style.css
script.js

You can store these files in a GitHub repository and use GitHub Pages to publish them.

For a personal or organisation site, GitHub’s standard approach uses a repository named:

username.github.io

where username is your GitHub username. GitHub’s official quickstart walks through creating this type of repository for a Pages site. GitHub Docs

A simplified process is:

Step 1: Create your repository

Create a repository using the appropriate name.

Step 2: Add your website files

Upload your HTML, CSS, JavaScript and other required files.

Step 3: Open your repository settings

Go to the repository’s settings and find the Pages section.

Step 4: Select your publishing source

Configure where GitHub should publish the website from.

Step 5: Publish

GitHub Pages builds and publishes the site.

Your website can then be accessed through its GitHub Pages URL.

GitHub provides documentation for creating a Pages site from a new or existing repository. GitHub Docs

Do You Need a Domain Name for GitHub Pages?

No, not if you are happy using the GitHub Pages address.

This is an important distinction.

A domain name is your website’s address, such as:

example.com

Hosting is the service that stores and serves your website files.

GitHub Pages can provide the hosting and a default github.io address.

So, if you are learning Web Development and just want to publish your portfolio or practise website online, you can start without purchasing either a separate hosting package or a custom domain.

Later, if you want a more professional address, you can connect a domain that you own.

GitHub Pages supports custom domains such as example.com and www.example.com. GitHub Docs

So your progression could look like:

Learning → Build website → GitHub → GitHub Pages → Live website → Custom domain later

You do not have to wait until you can afford a domain before putting your work online.

What Can You Host on GitHub Pages?

GitHub Pages is particularly useful for static websites.

For example:

Portfolio websites
Personal websites
Documentation
Project pages
Simple business information sites
Blogs
Résumés
Front-end projects

GitHub specifically describes Pages as a way to host a website about yourself, an organisation or a project, and its documentation gives examples including blogs and résumés. GitHub Docs

However, there is an important limitation.

GitHub Pages is not intended to be a general-purpose free hosting service for online businesses, e-commerce transactions or SaaS applications. GitHub also advises against using Pages for sensitive transactions such as passwords or credit card information. GitHub Docs

So you should understand the difference between:

A static portfolio website

and

A full web application with a backend, database and payment system.

GitHub Pages is excellent for the first category, but it is not a replacement for every type of web hosting.

How to Use GitHub for a Portfolio

One of the best ways to use GitHub as a learner is to document your projects.

Suppose you have completed five projects:

Portfolio website
Restaurant website
School website
Landing page
JavaScript calculator

Instead of keeping everything on your laptop, you can create repositories for your projects and organise them properly.

You can then add your GitHub profile to your CV or portfolio.

A potential employer can see:

What you have built
Your code
Your project structure
Your documentation
Your progress
The technologies you used

Your GitHub profile does not automatically prove that you are a great developer.

But a well-organised profile can give people something concrete to evaluate.

How to Use GitHub for Group Projects

GitHub becomes even more useful when multiple people are working on the same project.

For example, imagine four students are building a website together.

Instead of sending files to each other through WhatsApp and creating:

website-final
website-final-2
website-final-real
website-final-new

they can use Git and GitHub to manage changes.

Team members can work on different parts of the project and use GitHub’s collaboration features to review and merge changes.

This is closer to the workflow developers encounter when working on collaborative software projects.

What Is a Branch in GitHub?

A branch allows you to work on a separate version of a project without immediately changing the main version.

For example, you might have:

main

as the main version of your project.

You could create another branch for a new feature:

new-contact-page

You can work on that feature separately.

Once the work is ready, it can be reviewed and eventually merged into the main branch.

This becomes particularly useful when several people are working on the same project.

What Is a Pull Request?

A pull request, commonly called a PR, is a way of proposing changes to a repository.

For example, imagine you are working on a team website.

You create a branch, make your changes and push them to GitHub.

You can then open a pull request asking the team to review your changes.

Other people can:

Review the code
Leave comments
Suggest changes
Discuss the implementation
Approve the changes
Merge the changes

This makes GitHub useful for collaboration, not just storage.

How to Use GitHub With VS Code

Many developers use GitHub alongside code editors such as Visual Studio Code.

A common workflow can look like:

VS Code → Git → GitHub

You write and edit your code in VS Code.

Git tracks changes to the project.

GitHub stores the remote repository.

This means you can develop locally while keeping an online version of your project.

You can also use GitHub-related features and extensions within development environments, depending on your setup.

Can You Use GitHub on Your Phone?

Yes, GitHub can be accessed from a phone.

However, the experience of writing and managing a complete software project on a phone is different from working on a computer.

A phone can be useful for:

Checking repositories
Reviewing activity
Reading issues
Communicating with collaborators
Making certain changes
Monitoring projects

For serious development work, a computer will generally provide a more practical environment.

Can You Make Money From GitHub?

GitHub itself should not be viewed as a guaranteed way to make money.

Instead, think of it as a platform that can help you demonstrate and distribute your work.

For example, GitHub can help you:

Build a portfolio.
Showcase development projects.
Collaborate on projects.
Contribute to open-source work.
Demonstrate practical skills to employers.
Publish certain websites through GitHub Pages.

The income opportunity comes from what you can do with your skills, not simply from opening a GitHub account.

A developer might use GitHub projects as part of a portfolio when applying for jobs.

Another developer might use GitHub to demonstrate work to potential clients.

Someone else might contribute to open-source projects and build professional connections.

The platform is useful because it can make your work more visible.

Common Mistakes People Make When Learning GitHub

1. Treating Git and GitHub as the Same Thing

Understand the difference between Git and GitHub early.

2. Uploading Projects Without Documentation

A repository containing files but no explanation can be difficult for someone else to understand.

Add a useful README where appropriate.

3. Using Confusing Repository Names

Give projects descriptive names.

4. Uploading Everything Without Understanding What It Is

Do not blindly upload sensitive information or unnecessary files.

5. Never Updating Your Projects

If your GitHub profile is part of your professional portfolio, keep your strongest work organised and updated.

6. Thinking GitHub Automatically Makes You a Developer

GitHub is a tool.

Your actual skills still come from learning, practising, building and solving problems.

How GitHub Fits Into Learning Web Development

If you are learning Web Development, GitHub can become part of your learning process from the beginning.

You could follow a simple progression:

Learn HTML

↓

Build a project

↓

Store it on GitHub

↓

Learn CSS

↓

Improve the project

↓

Commit your changes

↓

Learn JavaScript

↓

Add functionality

↓

Push the updated project

↓

Publish the website with GitHub Pages

↓

Add the project to your portfolio

This gives your learning a practical structure.

You are not simply watching tutorials.

You are creating things.

And each project gives you something you can document and improve.

Why GitHub Is Useful for Mita School Students

For someone learning technology, one of the biggest challenges is moving from “I learnt this” to “I can show you what I built.”

GitHub can help with that transition.

A student learning Web Development can use GitHub to store and showcase projects.

A student learning Python can use it to document programming projects.

A student working on a collaborative project can use it to manage contributions.

And a student who has built a suitable static website can use GitHub Pages to publish it online without first purchasing separate hosting or a custom domain. GitHub Docs

This is particularly useful when building a portfolio.

Because when you eventually start looking for internships, freelance projects or entry-level opportunities, you want to have evidence of what you have been learning.

Instead of saying:

“I completed Web Development training.”

You can show:

“Here are the projects I built.”

That is a much stronger conversation.

From Learning GitHub to Using It Properly

Learning GitHub is not about memorising dozens of commands.

It is about understanding a workflow.

You should gradually become comfortable with:

Repository → Files → Commit → Push → Branch → Pull Request → Collaboration

Once that workflow starts making sense, GitHub becomes much less intimidating.

And the more projects you work on, the more naturally these concepts begin to fit together.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GitHub used for?

GitHub is used to store, manage and collaborate on software projects. It can also be used to publish certain websites through GitHub Pages.

Can I use GitHub without knowing how to code?

Yes. You can create an account and explore repositories without knowing how to code. However, understanding GitHub’s full potential becomes more useful as you learn programming or development.

Is GitHub free?

GitHub offers free accounts and features, although some features depend on the plan and type of repository. GitHub Pages is available for public repositories with GitHub Free. GitHub Docs

Do I need a domain to host my website on GitHub?

No. GitHub Pages provides a default github.io address. A custom domain is optional. GitHub Docs

Do I need to pay for hosting to use GitHub Pages?

You do not need to purchase separate web hosting for a GitHub Pages site. GitHub Pages provides the hosting for supported static sites. GitHub Docs

Can GitHub host a WordPress website?

GitHub Pages is designed for static websites and does not function like conventional WordPress hosting. A WordPress site that depends on PHP and a database needs an appropriate hosting environment.

Can I host an HTML website on GitHub?

Yes. GitHub Pages can publish HTML, CSS and JavaScript files from a repository. GitHub Docs

Can I use GitHub for my portfolio?

Yes. GitHub can be used to store projects, document your work and provide evidence of your development skills. You can also use GitHub Pages to publish a suitable static portfolio website. GitHub Docs

What is the difference between Git and GitHub?

Git is a version control system used to track changes in projects. GitHub is an online platform that hosts Git repositories and provides tools for collaboration and project management.

Can I use GitHub for group projects?

Yes. GitHub provides collaboration features that allow developers to work on shared repositories, review changes and manage contributions.

Final Thoughts

If you are learning Web Development, knowing how to use GitHub is a practical skill worth developing alongside your coding skills.

It gives you a place to store your projects, track your progress, collaborate with other developers and show people what you can build.

And there is another advantage that many new developers overlook.

You do not have to wait until you can afford web hosting and a domain before putting your website online.

If you have a suitable static website, you can use GitHub Pages to publish it with a github.io address. Later, when you are ready, you can connect a custom domain to the site. GitHub Docs

That means a learner can go from:

Learning → Building → Uploading → Publishing → Sharing → Creating a Portfolio

without making hosting and domain costs the first barrier to getting started.

At Mita School, this is the kind of practical thinking we want students to develop.

Do not just learn how to write code.

Learn how to build with it.

Do not just build projects.

Learn how to document and share them.

And do not just collect projects on your computer.

Put your work where other people can see what you can do.

If you are ready to learn Web Development and develop practical technology skills in Uyo, explore the programmes available at Mita School.

Explore Mita School Courses

Want to ask about the training?

Send a DM on WhatsApp → 0703 799 7791

Shalom Peter

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