GitHub is a global leader in software development collaboration.
It was founded in April 2008 by Tom Preston-Werner, Chris Wanstrath, PJ Hyett, and Scott Chacon. The company’s headquarters is in San Francisco, California.
In this GitHub review, I am going to share how this platform can help your development process.
GitHub’s main mission is to enable developers like you and me to build software together. They do this by providing scalable tools for version control, code collaboration, and automation.
Now a subsidiary of Microsoft, GitHub was acquired in 2018. Since then, it has grown to employ over 2,500 people.
It serves more than 100 million developers and hosts over 370 million repositories, making it the largest code host on the planet.
GitHub supports everything from hobby projects to enterprise applications. It plays a critical role for both open-source and commercial software teams.
Recently, in early 2025, GitHub rolled out an enhanced billing platform for organizations on the Free plan. This improvement helps you get better spend transparency and budgeting tools.
The company keeps investing in security, AI-powered coding tools, and workflow automation to stay as a reliable standard for modern software development.
| GitHub – Quick Overview | |
|---|---|
| What It Does | Provides a platform for version control, code collaboration, and automation to help developers build software together. |
| Best For | • Individual developers • Startups and enterprises • Teams valuing open-source, AI-powered development, and integrations • Industries like software, finance, education, public sector • Use cases needing security, compliance, and scalable automation |
| Key Products | GitHub Free • GitHub Pro • GitHub Team • GitHub Enterprise Cloud & Server • GitHub Actions • GitHub Codespaces • GitHub Copilot • GitHub Packages • GitHub Discussions • GitHub Advanced Security |
| Pricing | $0/month Free plan • Pro & Team at $4/user/month (billed annually) • Enterprise $21/user/month • Free personal/org plans • Enterprise demos & trials available • Usage-based charges for AI/ML compute and storage |
| Standout Features | • Git version control & branch management • Pull requests and code review workflows • GitHub Actions for CI/CD automation • AI-powered Copilot coding assistant • Advanced security: Dependabot alerts, secret/code scanning |
| Integrations | CircleCI, Jenkins, Travis CI, Jira, Trello, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Docker Hub, Slack, Microsoft Teams |
| Get Started | Start Free Trial → |
GitHub Solutions
GitHub offers many products to fit different needs.
Whether you work solo, in a small team, or a large company, there’s something for you.
1. GitHub Free
You can create unlimited public and private repositories.
It gives you all features for public projects and essential tools for private ones.
2. GitHub Pro
This adds more advanced collaboration and code review tools.
It’s perfect if you want better control and analytics for your projects.
3. GitHub Team
Built for teams that need more collaboration.
It includes protected branches, required reviewers, and CI/CD workflow integration.
4. GitHub Enterprise Cloud
This is a full SaaS solution for large organizations.
You get advanced security tools, compliance tools, and admin controls to manage everything.
5. GitHub Enterprise Server
You can host GitHub on your own private infrastructure.
It offers nearly the same features as the cloud, but gives you full control over data.
6. GitHub Actions
Automate your workflows right inside your repository.
It supports continuous integration, deployment, and custom automation.
7. GitHub Codespaces
Instant cloud-based dev environments ready to use.
You can customize these environments and code from anywhere you want.
8. GitHub Copilot
An AI helper for your coding, built with OpenAI.
It offers code suggestions, autocompletions, and quick access to documentation.
9. GitHub Packages
A platform to host and manage your package dependencies.
It supports multiple package formats to fit your needs.
10. GitHub Discussions
Community forums for every repository.
These forums help encourage collaboration and support between users.
11. GitHub Advanced Security
Advanced security tools focused on enterprises.
It includes secret scanning, dependency review, and code scanning features.
Integrations
GitHub works with a lot of tools you might already use:
- CI/CD tools like CircleCI, Jenkins, and Travis CI
- Project management options such as Jira and Trello
- Cloud providers Amazon Web Services, Azure, and Google Cloud
- Container registries like Docker Hub
- Productivity apps including Slack and Microsoft Teams
This makes it easy to manage everything in your workflow.
GitHub Features
1. Version Control (Git)
GitHub’s version control lets you track changes and manage branches easily.
You can collaborate on code across distributed teams, which helps keep software quality high and development transparent.
2. Pull Requests & Code Review
You submit, discuss, and review code changes before merging them.
It also lets you protect branches, require reviewers, and enforce workflows to keep your code consistent.
3. GitHub Actions
GitHub Actions automate build, test, and deployment processes right in your repo.
These workflows trigger on events, so you can build your CI/CD pipeline without extra tools.
4. GitHub Copilot
Copilot uses OpenAI’s models to suggest code in real time, speeding up your development.
It generates boilerplate code and documentation, which is great for reducing repetitive tasks or learning new languages.
5. Security & Compliance
GitHub supports multi-factor authentication and Dependabot security tools for vulnerable dependencies.
You’ll also find code scanning (SAST), secret scanning to catch leaks, and compliance monitoring for enterprises.
6. Project Management Tools
You get boards, issues, milestones, and Discussions to handle sprint backlogs or community support.
All of this lives in the same platform as your code, making it easy to keep everything connected.
7. Collaboration & Community Building
GitHub lets you create public repositories and collaborate on open source projects.
It includes Discussions, wikis, and community profiles to engage contributors and users effectively.
8. Mobile Apps
GitHub offers mobile apps for iOS and Android.
You can review code, merge pull requests, and manage issues wherever you are.
9. API & Integrations
With REST and GraphQL APIs, you automate almost any interaction you want.
For example, syncing issues with ticketing systems, triggering deployments, or integrating with DevOps pipelines.
10. Unique Capabilities
GitHub stands out with AI-powered coding through Copilot and cloud-hosted coding environments using Codespaces.
Their deep security tools also set GitHub apart from traditional code repositories.
You now have a clear view of GitHub features that can really boost your coding and collaboration.
GitHub Pricing Plans
If you’re looking to get started with GitHub, they have options that fit everyone, from solo developers to big teams.
I like how their free plan gives you what you need to launch projects without spending a dime.
GitHub pricing also covers teams and enterprises, adding features like advanced security and extended support as you scale up.
You might want to know about the recent updates too. For example, billing for Free plan organizations got simpler in February 2025, and Git Large File Storage moved to usage-based billing. This helps you keep better track of your costs.
| Plan | Price & Features |
|---|---|
| Free Plan (Personal Accounts & Organizations) | $0/month • Unlimited public/private repositories • Community support • Dependabot alerts • 500 MB GitHub Packages storage • 2,000 GitHub Actions minutes/month • 120 Codespaces core hours/month • 15 GB Codespaces storage/month |
| GitHub Pro | $4/user/month (billed annually) • Everything in Free, plus advanced code review tools • Insights • 3,000 CI/CD minutes/month |
| GitHub Team | $4/user/month (billed annually) • All Pro features plus team management • Code owners and required reviews • 3,000 Actions minutes/month |
| GitHub Enterprise | $21/user/month (billed annually) • Advanced security and compliance reports • SAML single sign-on (SSO) • 50,000 Actions minutes/month • Prioritized support |
They also offer customization for enterprises with a self-hosted GitHub Enterprise Server, but you’ll have to contact sales for pricing.
Keep in mind, if you use extra AI or ML resources with Codespaces or Actions, you might see additional charges based on your usage.
If you want to explore your options or try it out yourself, click here to learn more about GitHub pricing →
GitHub Alternatives
If you’re exploring GitHub alternatives, there are several strong options to consider. Each one comes with its own perks and suits different needs.
I found that GitLab offers more built-in CI/CD features. It also supports self-hosting, which some teams really appreciate.
Bitbucket stands out if you’re already using Atlassian tools like Jira. The integration is deep, and it often comes at a lower cost compared to GitHub.
Azure DevOps is another option. It shines with end-to-end Microsoft tooling and project management capabilities, especially for Windows-heavy environments.
AWS CodeCommit works best if you’re already invested in AWS. It scales well and uses a consumption-based pricing model.
SourceForge is great for simpler, legacy open source projects. It lacks some advanced features but keeps things straightforward.
| Competitor | Their Strengths | GitHub Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| GitLab | Integrated DevOps, self-hosted option with more built-in CI/CD, open-core model | Massive developer community and advanced AI tools like Copilot |
| Bitbucket | Strong Atlassian integration and CI/CD, often cheaper | Larger third-party ecosystem around GitHub |
| Azure DevOps | End-to-end Microsoft tooling and project management, tight Windows/enterprise integration | Open source and cross-platform flexibility |
| AWS CodeCommit | AWS-centric and scalable with consumption-based pricing | Supports open development and offers broader support |
| SourceForge | Legacy open source for simple projects, usually free | Modern UI with more extensive collaboration tools |
GitHub generally sits at a mid-to-premium price point, especially for enterprise plans. Its biggest plus is the vast open-source community combined with integrations and the Copilot AI features you won’t find elsewhere.
If you want a fully integrated DevOps suite or prefer self-hosting, GitLab is a solid bet. Meanwhile, Bitbucket fits nicely if your company is invested in Atlassian products.
Who Should Use GitHub
1. Individual developers, startups, and enterprises
If you want strong version control, collaboration, and automation, GitHub is a solid choice. It supports your growth whether you’re building your first app or managing complex projects.
2. Teams that focus on open-source and AI-powered development
GitHub suits teams that value open-source contributions and want AI tools to speed up coding. It also offers plenty of integrations to connect your workflow smoothly.
3. Companies across software, finance, education, and public sector
If your organization builds or maintains code, GitHub can work for you. It’s flexible enough to support different industries and needs without a fuss.
4. Use cases needing security, compliance, and scalable automation
GitHub handles open source, DevOps, code review, and continuous delivery with strong security and compliance controls. This makes it great when those areas really matter to you.
If your team depends fully on other tools like deep Jira integration or strictly on-premises workflows, you might want to look elsewhere. Also, if you only want basic code hosting on a tight budget, GitHub might be more than you need.
GitHub really shines in open collaboration, DevOps automation, and offering the latest AI help for coding.
Bottom Line
GitHub is the go-to platform for software development.
It offers unmatched integrations and a thriving open-source community. Its AI-powered features like Copilot and Codespaces really stand out.
The user interface is intuitive, and the extensive API helps automation for modern teams.
That said, costs can add up at scale, especially for enterprises. There is also a learning curve if your team is new to Git workflows.
Some might want tighter DevOps or project management integrations than GitHub provides.
I hope this GitHub review has given you a clear picture.
If you want a secure, scalable, and innovative platform for any team size, GitHub should be on your shortlist. Its features and community support make it great for productivity and collaboration.
