Who owns GitHub?

by / ⠀Who Owns / December 4, 2024
Who owns GitHub?

Who owns GitHub? GitHub is owned by Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft acquired GitHub on October 26, 2018, in a deal valued at $7.5 billion. GitHub is a web-based platform for version control and collaboration, allowing developers to work together on projects, manage repositories, and contribute to open-source projects.

Company History

GitHub is a web-based platform that hosts software development and source code management using Git. Tom Preston-Werner, Chris Wanstrath, and PJ Hyett founded GitHub in April 2008. Initially, the company was privately held and owned by its founders and investors.

Over time, GitHub gained significant popularity, attracting various investors. Notable investments included a $100 million Series A funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz in 2012. In 2015, the company secured a $250 million Series B round from Sequoia Capital, Institutional Venture Partners, Thrive Capital, and other investors.

On June 4, 2018, Microsoft announced it had acquired GitHub for $7.5 billion in an all-stock deal. The acquisition was completed on October 26, 2018. Since then, GitHub has operated as a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation. Nat Friedman, a Microsoft corporate vice president, became GitHub’s CEO, succeeding Chris Wanstrath. In summary, GitHub transitioned from being owned by its founders and investors to becoming a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation.

Who was the original founder?

GitHub was founded in April 2008 by Tom Preston-Werner, Chris Wanstrath, and PJ Hyett. Tom Preston-Werner, born on October 28, 1979, in Dubuque, Iowa, is a software developer and entrepreneur. He studied computer science and physics at the University of Iowa but did not complete his degree.

Before founding GitHub, Preston-Werner worked at Powerset, a natural language search engine company acquired by Microsoft. He also co-founded Gravatar, a global avatar hosting service, which Automattic later acquired.

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The idea for GitHub emerged when Preston-Werner and Wanstrath sought better ways for developers to collaborate, especially on open-source projects. This led to the creation of a user-friendly platform that leveraged the Git version control system. GitHub aims to simplify software development collaboration and provide efficient code hosting and sharing services for developers worldwide.

Since its founding, GitHub has grown rapidly, becoming an essential platform for millions of developers and organizations. In 2018, Microsoft acquired GitHub for $7.5 billion. Nat Friedman became the company’s CEO after the acquisition.

The Impact of GitHub on the Developer Community

GitHub has revolutionized the way developers collaborate and share code. Before GitHub, developers struggled with version control and teamwork on large projects. However, by offering an easy-to-use platform, GitHub streamlined these processes. As a result, developers could focus more on coding and less on managing projects. Furthermore, GitHub’s open-source model encouraged collaboration across the globe. This allowed developers to contribute to projects and learn from each other in real time.

In addition, the platform’s features fostered a strong sense of community among developers. Today, GitHub has become essential for both individual developers and large teams, making it a cornerstone of the modern software development world.

FAQ Section: Who Owns GitHub?

1. Who owns GitHub currently?

As of June 2018, GitHub is owned by Microsoft Corporation, a multinational technology company based in the United States.

2. When was GitHub founded?

GitHub was founded in April 2008 by Tom Preston-Werner, Chris Wanstrath, and PJ Hyett.

3. What is the primary function of GitHub?

GitHub is a web-based platform that provides version control and source code management (SCM) to developers using Git. It offers collaboration features for teams, private and public repositories, and tools for running software development workflows.

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4. What is a repository in GitHub?

A repository, or repo, is a storage space for your project to live, containing all the files and folders associated with a specific project, including the project’s version history. Repositories can be public, making them available for anyone to view and contribute, or private, restricting access to select users.

5. Is GitHub free to use?

Yes, GitHub offers free plans for individuals and teams. Free users can access unlimited public and private repositories, with unlimited collaborators. However, some advanced features like team access controls and additional security features are only available in paid plans.

6. What are the alternatives to GitHub?

Some popular alternatives to GitHub include GitLab, Bitbucket, SourceForge, and Gitea. Each platform offers its unique set of features and services tailored to meet the needs of different users in the software development community.

Sources for More Information

 

Featured image provided by Lukas; Pexels; Thanks!

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