Plain English Guide to GitHub Terms
Terms are listed alphabetically with simple definitions and real-world analogies.
A
Add (Stage) - Mark files to be included in your next commit
Authentication - Proving your identity to the system.
B
Blame - See who last changed each specific line of a file.
Branch - A parallel version of your repository.
C
Clone - Copy a repository from GitHub to your computer.
Collaborator - Someone with permission to make changes to your repository.
Commit - Save a snapshot of your changes with a description.
Commit Message - A brief description of what changes you made.
Conflict - When two people change the same part of a file differently.
Contributors - Everyone who has added to a repository.
D
Diff (Difference) - A view showing what changed between versions.
Download - Save a copy of the files from GitHub to your computer.
E
Enterprise - App State's private version of GitHub.
F
Fork - Create your own copy of someone else's repository.
Fetch - Check for updates from GitHub without applying them.
G
Git - The underlying software that tracks changes.
GitHub - A website that hosts Git repositories.
.gitignore - A file listing what GitHub should not track.
H
History - The complete record of all changes to a repository.
I
Internal Repository - Visible to all App State GitHub users.
Issue - A discussion thread about a task, bug, or enhancement.
L
Local - On your computer (not on GitHub's servers).
Log - A list of all commits made to a repository.
M
Main (or Master) - The primary version of your repository.
Markdown (.md) - A simple text format with basic formatting.
Merge - Combine changes from different branches.
Merge Conflict - When Git can't automatically combine changes.
O
Organization - A shared workspace for a department or group.
Origin - The default name for your GitHub repository.
P
Private Repository - Only visible to you and people you invite.
Pull - Download changes from GitHub to your computer.
Pull Request (PR) - Asking to have your changes added to the main version.
Push - Upload your changes from your computer to GitHub.
R
README - A file explaining what a repository contains.
Remote - A version of your repository on GitHub's servers.
Repository (Repo) - A project folder that tracks all changes.
Revert - Undo changes by going back to an earlier version.
S
SSH Key - A secure way to connect without typing passwords.
Stage - Prepare changes to be committed.
Sync - Make your local and GitHub versions match.
T
Tag - A bookmark for a specific version.
Token - A special password for programs to access GitHub.
Track - Tell Git to watch a file for changes.
U
Upstream - The original repository you forked from.
Upload - Add files from your computer to GitHub.
Username_appstate - Your GitHub username (your App State ID + "_appstate").
V
Version - specific saved state of your files.
Version Control - A System for tracking all changes over time.
W
Working Directory - The folder on your computer where you're making changes.
Wiki - Documentation pages attached to a repository.
Common Phrases
Clone the repo - Copy the project to your computer.
Push your changes - Send your updates to GitHub.
Submit a pull request - Ask for your changes to be reviewed and added.
Resolve the conflict - Decide which changes to keep when two edits clash
Check the commit history - Look at the record of all past changes
Create a new branch - Make a separate version to try something
Merge into main - Add your changes to the official version
Fork the repository - Make your own copy of someone else's project