GitHub was created in 2008 as a platform for collaborating on software projects.
Tom Preston-Werner, Chris Wanstrath, P. J. Hyett, and Scott Chacon founded GitHub around Git, a distributed version-control system created by Linus Torvalds. GitHub added an accessible web interface and social features that made code sharing, reviewing, and collaboration easier for developers.
GitHub is not the same thing as Git. Git is the underlying version-control software, while GitHub is an online hosting and collaboration service built around Git repositories. That distinction is one of the most common points of confusion.
Microsoft acquired GitHub in 2018 for $7.5 billion in stock. GitHub remained a major meeting place for open-source development, reinforcing the importance of public collaboration in modern technology culture.