GitHub

GitHub is the world's leading software development platform and code hosting service, serving as the cornerstone of modern collaborative software development. With over 100 million developers worldwide, GitHub provides cloud-based Git repository hosting, version control, and collaboration tools that enable developers, teams, and organizations to build, review, and deploy software projects efficiently. The platform has become an essential infrastructure for open-source development and enterprise software engineering alike. Acquired by Microsoft in 2018 for $7.5 billion, GitHub has expanded beyond its core repository hosting to offer a comprehensive DevOps ecosystem including CI/CD pipelines, security scanning, project management, and code review tools. The platform hosts millions of repositories ranging from individual projects to critical open-source infrastructure used by Fortune 500 companies. GitHub's business model combines freemium individual accounts with enterprise subscriptions, while exploring additional revenue streams through GitHub Sponsors for developer monetization and potential advertising opportunities targeting its highly engaged developer community. GitHub's market position is strengthened by its network effects—as more developers join the platform, it becomes increasingly valuable for collaboration, talent discovery, and open-source contribution. The platform serves as both a technical tool and a social network for developers, functioning as a portfolio, collaboration space, and professional identity system that has fundamentally transformed how software is built and shared globally.