Microsoft acquired GitHub for $7.5 billion in an all-stock transaction announced in 2018.
Microsoft announced the acquisition on June 4, 2018, and completed it later that year. GitHub is a web-based platform built around Git, the distributed version-control system created by Linus Torvalds. Developers use GitHub to store code, coordinate projects, review changes, and collaborate across organizations.
Microsoft said GitHub would retain its developer-first identity and operate as an independent platform under its ownership. The acquisition connected GitHub’s large developer community with Microsoft’s cloud, software, and enterprise businesses.
The transaction was paid in Microsoft stock rather than cash, which is why its stated value was tied to Microsoft’s share price. GitHub is not the same as Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform, although the two services are closely integrated and frequently used together.