Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

Ruby

Jesus Mendoza
Jesus Mendoza
23,289 Points

Can I use Github when working with Rails?

Does Github and Git are the same thing? What's the difference? I'm confused :(

3 Answers

Kevin Korte
Kevin Korte
28,149 Points

Git, is a version control tool that runs in the command line. Github, are separate and independent from Git, in that different people created it. Github is a online website service that basically gives you a GUI (graphic user interface) for your Git repo. Github stores a remote repo for you, it makes coding "social" by giving you tools to interface with Git, with other developers also using Git.

Without Git there would be no Github, but without Github, there would still be Git. And can you use Github with rails? Absolutely. Git, Github, and Rails play nicely together, and I use the 3 together almost every day.

Jesus Mendoza
Jesus Mendoza
23,289 Points

Thanks for your answer, it really helped me

William Li
PLUS
William Li
Courses Plus Student 26,868 Points

Adding to Kevin's great answer.

If you find interacting with git and pushing code to Github from Command Line interface too daunting, you may download this Github Desktop GUI app, it simplifies things to a huge degree.

Also, if you are still wrapping your head around the difference between the concepts of git and github. Check out this free online course from Udacity How to use Git and GitHub.

Happy coding.

Jesus Mendoza
Jesus Mendoza
23,289 Points

Yeah, actually that's why I asked. I found Git Command Line really daunting and found out that Github Desktop is really easy to use, so, I was wondering if I could use it

William Li
William Li
Courses Plus Student 26,868 Points

so, I was wondering if I could use it

Absolutely, there's no shame in using a GUI instead of the Command Line, even some of the experienced developers love to use Github Desktop to interact with Github. So, give it a try.

Kevin Korte
Kevin Korte
28,149 Points

There is nothing wrong with the Github Desktop app, especially as you get familiar with git, and github. It's a fantastic visual tool, and Github did a great job with it.

As a matter of fact, I used the Github Desktop app myself when first starting, for the same reason the CLI was intimating. Eventually, I got more comfortable with the CLI, and now exclusively use git in the CLI.

There is a good reason to move towards using git in the CLI. You might find yourself developing on computers where you can't install the Desktop App. For instance I use Cloud9 a lot, so I have to use git via the CLI on that IDE.

But today, use git and github, however you feel most comfortable.

Adding to William's addition, while it is important to know how to interact with Git/GitHub via the command line, using an IDE that has Git integration can make your life a lot easier!