Github, Mattsplained

If you’re vibe coding, GitHub is your safety net, your time machine, and your future collaboration hub.

Whether you’re building something big or just tinkering with an AI-generated side project, GitHub keeps your work safe and makes experimenting way less scary.

What is GitHub?

GitHub is an online platform where you can store, manage, and share code. It’s built around Git, a version control system that tracks every change you make to your files.

Think of GitHub as:

• A safety depost box for your code — everything’s backed up in the cloud.
• A time machine — you can jump back to earlier versions if you mess something up.
• A collaboration space — invite others to work on your project, review code, and suggest changes.

With GitHub, you don’t just save your work, you save every version of it, making it easy to experiment without fear.

Why GitHub Matters for Vibe Coders

1. Your code is backed up
   Push your project to GitHub and it’s stored securely in the cloud. Even if your laptop takes a coffee bath, your code is safe. (Many AI coding tools, like Lovable, even let you export straight to GitHub.)
2. Test and roll back changes
   Want to try a new feature without breaking everything? Make a branch, test it, and if it flops — roll back like it never happened.
3. Collaborate (when you’re ready)
   GitHub is built for teams, so when you want feedback or want to team up, your workflow is already set.

How to Get Started without the Terminal

Yes, the pros live in the terminal typing mysterious git push origin main commands, but you don’t need to start there.

Here’s the fast path:

1. Create a free account at github.com.
2. Install GitHub Desktop.
3. Clone your repo or create a new one with a few clicks.
4. Click “Open in VSCode” and you’re off to the races.

GitHub Desktop (and VSCode’s built-in Git tools) will help you see what “push,” “pull,” “commit,” and “sync” mean in action. Once you’re comfortable with the concepts, learning the terminal commands is way less intimidating.

True story!