What does GitHub keep for you?

GitHub stores the project history you send to it. Put the repository under an account or organization you control, then check that the branch and commit you need are there.

A commit starts as a recorded change in a Git repository. A push sends recorded changes to GitHub. Pending edits on your computer and local branches you have never sent still live there.

Set visibility before sending a project and give people only the access they need. A repository can also connect to a hosting service, which decides whether and when a change becomes a new version visitors can use.

How do you review a proposed change on GitHub?

A pull request shows what one branch would change in another. Read the proposed result, check the destination and open Files changed before you decide what to combine.

Use a private practice repository
Start with a tiny booking page and fake content. Keep the repository disconnected from live deployments. Send the working main branch and your branch with one button-label change.
Open the comparison
Create a pull request from the label branch into the main branch. Describe how to try it. In Files changed, check that the edit is limited to the label.
Try the result before merging
Open the changed page locally and check that clicking the button still shows the confirmation. Use a test-only app, data and accounts if you choose a connected preview. Keep unrelated changes out of the merge.

What can you do on GitHub Free?

GitHub Free is USD 0. It includes unlimited public and private repositories, and you can review a proposed change in a private one. Some controls for private projects need a paid plan.

Check the plan for the feature you need
What you need	What to check
Rules that prevent direct edits to a private branch	Standard protected branches for private repositories require an eligible plan. GitHub Pro is a personal account option. GitHub Team is an organization option at USD 4 per user per month.
A test that runs automatically	GitHub Actions usage depends on the runner, included plan allowance and storage. Check these charges separately from repository access.

How much of your project can you take to another host?

Copy the repository and verify the branches and tags you need in the new place. Plan separately for review conversations, release downloads and other information kept by GitHub.

A mirror clone is a copy of the repository’s Git history and references, such as branch and tag names. If you use Git Large File Storage, fetch and transfer the large files separately and open a sample in the destination. Compare a new clone with the old one before switching tools or turning off access.

List what connects to the repository, including deployment, automated checks and collaborators. Verify their settings at the destination. Keep customer data, uploaded files and credentials with their own services and recovery plans.

What belongs outside even a private repository?

Keep passwords, API keys and customer records out of commits. Use placeholder values in setup examples and give the real values to the service that needs them.

A Git ignore rule can keep an untracked settings file out of future commits. It leaves the content of earlier commits in place. If you shared a credential, revoke or rotate it with the issuing provider first. Then plan cleanup and account for copies other people already downloaded.