Git vs. GitHub: The 5-minute guide for absolute beginners

If you're new to coding, you've probably heard people say: "Just push it to GitHub." Or: "Make sure you commit your changes." And if you're like most beginners, you quietly nodded… while secretly thinking: "Wait… are Git and GitHub the same thing?" You are not alone. This is the most common confusion for new developers. Here's the truth in one sentence: Git is the tool. GitHub is the website where you put the tool's work. Let me explain in 5 minutes (or less). The 2-Second Summary Git GitHub What is it? A program on your computer A website in the cloud What does it do? Tracks changes to your code Hosts your Git repositories online Do you need internet? ❌ No (works offline) ✅ Yes Is it free? ✅ Yes (always) ✅ Yes for public repos (paid for private team features) Who makes it? Linus Torvalds (same guy who made Linux) Microsoft (acquired in 2018) The Analogy: Writing a Book 📚 Imagine you're writing a novel. Git is your "Save & Track Changes" button (locally) You write on your laptop.