GitHub has become an extremely important platform for developers, designers, and entire companies or teams to collaborate on projects of all sizes. At its core, GitHub leverages Git, a version control system, to help manage and track changes in code. Whether you are building a personal project, contributing to an open source project, or collaborating on an enterprise level application, GitHub offers amazing tools to make the development process as seamless as possible.  GitHub simplifies the complex workflows of modern development, making it an essential tool for anyone in tech. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned developer, understanding repositories is the first step to mastering GitHub.

What is a Repository?

A repository (or repo) is a centralized location where all the files, code, and documentation for a project are stored. It acts as a project’s home. A repository on GitHub can be public (accessible to anyone) or private (restricted to select users) based on the liking of the owner. Public repositories are particularly popular in open-source communities, because of how they are enabling developers worldwide to contribute, report issues, and suggest improvements to better the source.

Repositories also keep a detailed history of every change made, making sure the owner can track and revert changes if needed.

Key Components of a Repository

1. Commits: A commit is a snapshot of changes in a repository. Developers use commits to save their progress and include important messages describing the changes made.
2. Branches: Branches are alternate versions of the repository. The main branch (often called main or master) is the central working version, while developers create separate branches to work on features or fixes without disturbing the main codebase.
3. Pull Requests: When work in a branch is ready to be merged back into the main branch, developers create a pull request. It’s an easy way to propose changes, invite feedback, and review the code before it gets integrated.
4. Issues: Issues act as a task tracker within a repository. Developers and contributors can log bugs, suggest features, or discuss implementation details.
5. README Files: A README file is usually the first thing a visitor sees. It provides an overview of the project, instructions for usage, and contribution guidelines.

How GitHub Works

To use GitHub effectively, you typically:

1. Create a Repository: Start a new project or upload an existing one.
2. Clone the Repo: Download the repository to your local machine using Git commands or GitHub Desktop.
3. Make Changes Locally: Modify files, add new features, or fix bugs.
4. Commit and Push: Save your changes locally and push them to GitHub.
5. Collaborate: Use pull requests, issues, and discussions to collaborate with others.

“What is GitHub?” is an official video from the GitHub YouTube channel.  The video is informative, as well as very well put together with amazing graphical effects and editing.  It is a great way to learn about GitHub quickly, while also being mesmerized by great video editing skills.  Check out the video to get a quick grasp and introduction on GitHub

Link to Resource:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBy1zgt0XPc

From the blog CS@Worcester – Elliot Benoit's Blog by Elliot Benoit and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Scrum is a widely-adopted framework in software development that is designed to encourage collaboration, smart time usage, adaptability, and transparency to deliver high-quality results to customers. The methodology centers around three roles: Scrum Master, Product Owner, and the Development Team.  Each role is critical to ensuring the scrum process is effective. Together, they uphold Scrum’s core values: commitment, focus, openness, respect, and courage.

The Roles in Scrum

1. Scrum Master:
   The Scrum Master serves as the facilitator and coach, ensuring that the team will follow the Scrum principles. They steer the team away from distractions, help remove obstacles along the way, and guide the team toward self-organization and improvement. Their role is not necessarily  about managing the team but empowering it to achieve its goals effectively.
2. Product Owner:
   The Product Owner is the voice of the customer, responsible for “maximizing” the product’s potential and value. They manage the product backlog, prioritize features based on the current sprint, and provide clear requirements to the team. They act as the bridge between stakeholders and the development team, ensuring that there is a complete alignment on goals and expectations.
3. Development Team:
   The development team consists of software development professionals who collaborate to deliver increments of the product during each sprint. They are self-organizing, meaning they decide how to accomplish their tasks without intervention from the Scrum aster or product owner. This is great for fostering ownership, accountability, and for delivering high-quality work.

The Values of Scrum

Scrum is mostly made up of  five key values that the team’s behavior and decision making:

• Commitment: Teams dedicate themselves to achieving sprint goals and delivering value.
• Focus: By working on a limited set of tasks at a time, teams maintain clarity and productivity.
• Openness: Transparent communication fosters trust and ensures that challenges are addressed collaboratively.
• Respect: Team members value each other’s contributions and expertise, creating a positive and supportive work environment.
• Courage: Teams take bold steps to innovate and tackle tough problems.

Why Scrum Matters

Scrum’s structured yet flexible approach enhances collaboration, reduces waste, and drives continuous improvement. By empowering teams to adapt to change and deliver incrementally, organizations can respond more effectively to customer needs and market shifts. Whether done in software development, marketing, or other fields, Scrum’s roles and values provide an amazing foundation for the success of a company.

Resource on Scrum Management

“What is Scrum in Project Management?” is an informative video about the Scrum methodology by the work management company Wrike.  This resource informatively explains all aspects of scrum, including but not limited to: goals, roles, practices, and examples.  It also explains the idea of a “sprint” which is the current goals of the development team that they must get done before the next sprint.  Check out the video for more information on Scrum Methodology.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M12HSYZkrgQ

From the blog CS@Worcester – Elliot Benoit's Blog by Elliot Benoit and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

A lot of developers today mistakenly think that publishing code without a license automatically makes it free for public use. However, under copyright law, code without an explicit license is still technically the property of the original owner. That means that any users cannot legally copy, modify, or distribute it without permission. This can lead to legal disputes, misuse of the code, or anything the original owner did not intend. Posting code on GitHub without a license is defaulted to GitHub’s terms, which allows for limited collaboration but restricts use at larger scale.

When it comes to software projects, making sure you have the right license that fits the needs of the project is extremely important to how others interact with your code.  Typically licenses of this nature fall under two categories, a copyleft license or a permissive license.  A copyleft license, such as the GNU General Public License (GPL), ensures that any derivative works must retain the same license.  These licenses promote transparency and guarantee that the software and its derivatives remain open-source. This is for developers who want to foster a community, make improvements from others testing, and prevent proprietary derivatives.  However, some large companies may avoid this technique, as they could be giving a competitive advantage to other competitors interested in their work.  On the other hand, permissive licenses, such as the MIT or Apache 2.0 licenses, allow derivatives to be licensed under proprietary terms. This approach provides as much “freedom” as possible, while making it easier for businesses to use the code without copyright issues. While this can lead to a large increase in usage, it could get out of hand when companies don’t submit their versions of the code.

“How Copyright Works (Part 5): Copyright Licenses in Simple Terms”, is a short video by the Youtube channel What is Law Even.  It is the last installment of a 5-part series that explains the many rigid aspects of copyright law, and how it is used in the context of today.  This installment focuses on the basics of copyright law, and specifically the license aspect of the law.  The narrator explains what a copyright license is, and the possible royalties that may be attached to that respective license.  It is a great straightforward video that is short, but filled with quick bits of knowledge important in the copyright sphere.

In short terms, copyright licensing is extremely important when it comes to software development.  Licenses are a key part of a project’s workflow, and even when they aren’t explicitly stated, there is a good chance there is still one in the background.  Always be weary of the copyright laws as they are only there to protect owners from unlawful practices against their projects.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjwOTNBRFpE

• Elliot Benoit

From the blog CS@Worcester – Elliot Benoit's Blog by Elliot Benoit and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Agile is a set of values and principles that software developers and/or managers use to encourage a positive work environment that is efficient, and promotes a successful workflow.  Agile is becoming the gold standard for software development and programming, because it is inherently based on collaboration.  Not only does it encourage intense collaboration with members of the development team, but also the customers they are making the product for.  A core tenant of Agile is to not only keep the team on the same page, but also stay transparent with the customer and accommodate their every need with the product.  Here are some important values and principles Agile is based on: “Working software over comprehensive documentation”, “Simplicity”, “Responding to change”, “Customer collaboration”, “Human communication”, and last but not least: “Continuous attention to technical excellence”.  These aren’t the only values, but they are some of the most important ones. 

“An Ultimate Guide to Agile Software Development” is an informative video about Agile Software Development, by the YouTube channel Invensis Learning.  In the video, the narrator discusses how Agile is beneficial for teams specifically in the Software Development field.  They describe Agile Software Development as a “set of iterative software development methodologies in which requirements and solutions arise from collaboration among self-organizing cross-functional teams”.  This is very important to understanding Agile, and its uses in the workplace.  Agile allows for teams working on different parts of a project to stay on the same page, and not get ahead of their peers, while still having room for improvement and disagreement.  They also go on to explain how a company following Agile doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t a manager coordinating these things, but it suggests that each sub-group should be able to handle their problems on their own.  The video also discusses the “Agile Software Development Life Cycle”, which touches on how Software Development teams should roughly plan out their work for a product.  The cycles can differ from company to company based on the amount of employees, type of work, customer expectations, etc.  But, the values and principles should stay the same to maximize Agile efficiency.  The Agile Life Cycle follows six important steps, Concept, Inception, Iteration, Release, Maintenance, and Retirement.

To sum up today’s topic, Agile is a set of values and principles primarily used by software developers to make the workplace much more efficient and stress-free.  Agile promotes customer collaboration, and in-house collaboration with peers to ensure the product is as perfect as possible.  Over time, most software development companies will come to develop these principles, as they have been proven to be one of the best work strategies.

LINK TO VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evl5f2CnR08

• Elliot Benoit

From the blog CS@Worcester – Elliot Benoit's Blog by Elliot Benoit and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.