Why GitHub Actually Won

🌈 Abstract

The article provides an insider's perspective on why GitHub became the dominant code hosting platform, written by one of GitHub's co-founders. It covers the following key points:

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Environment and Rise of Git

1. What was the state of version control systems for software developers around 2005?

• Developers were primarily using centralized version control systems like Subversion, which were not well-suited for open source projects and distributed collaboration.
• Contributing to open source projects was a cumbersome process involving generating and applying patches.

2. How did the rise of Git address the shortcomings of existing version control systems?

• Git introduced features like fast branching and merging, local operations, and easy forking that greatly improved the developer experience.
• Git was embraced by the Linux community and Linus Torvalds' advocacy helped drive its adoption.

[02] The Rise of GitHub

1. What was the initial motivation behind creating GitHub?

• GitHub's co-founder Tom saw an opportunity to make it easier to use Git by providing a user-centric hosting platform, rather than the project-centric approach of existing Git hosting solutions.
• GitHub focused on a pull-based model for contributions, which simplified the open source collaboration process.

2. How did the Ruby community's adoption of GitHub contribute to Git's dominance?

• The Ruby community, which was at the forefront of web development at the time, quickly embraced GitHub, leading to widespread exposure and adoption.
• GitHub's integration with the Ruby community, through co-founder involvement and conference presence, helped drive Git's popularity.

[03] Why GitHub Won

1. What factors contributed to GitHub's success over competitors like Google Code and Bitbucket?

• GitHub had a strong focus on developer experience and "good taste" in its approach, unlike competitors who were more focused on distribution and revenue.
• GitHub's co-founders were deeply embedded in the developer community, which allowed them to build a product that resonated with developers.
• The article suggests that GitHub's early traction in the Ruby community, as well as Linus Torvalds' advocacy for Git, were key factors in GitHub's rise to dominance.

2. How did GitHub's approach to funding and growth differ from typical startups?

• The article clarifies that the co-founders did have the option to raise venture capital, but they deliberately chose not to, preferring to grow the company organically.
• This allowed them to focus on building a product that developers loved, rather than optimizing for revenue or other business metrics.