GitHub is the world’s most popular platform for hosting and collaborating on code. Whether you’re a developer, student, or open-source enthusiast, creating a GitHub account is your first step toward sharing, managing, and contributing to projects.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to create a GitHub account, with tips for setting it up the right way.
✅ Step 1: Visit the GitHub Website
Go to https://github.com in your web browser.
✅ Step 2: Click “Sign Up”
On the top-right corner of the homepage, click the Sign up button.
✅ Step 3: Enter Your Details
You’ll be asked to enter the following:
- Username: Choose a unique username (e.g.,
janedev123) - Email address: Use a valid email that you’ll check (GitHub will use it to verify your account)
- Password: Create a strong, secure password
Click Continue after each step.
✅ Step 4: Verify You’re Human
Complete the CAPTCHA challenge to confirm you’re not a bot.
✅ Step 5: Choose a Plan
GitHub offers both free and paid plans.
- Free plan: Includes unlimited public and private repositories, and is ideal for most users.
- You can upgrade later if you need additional features like advanced CI/CD or team management.
Select your plan and click Continue.
✅ Step 6: Customize Your Experience (Optional)
GitHub may ask a few questions (e.g., your role or how you plan to use GitHub). This is optional and helps personalize your dashboard.
✅ Step 7: Verify Your Email
Check your email inbox for a message from GitHub and click the verification link to activate your account.
🎉 You’re All Set!
You now have a GitHub account. You can:
- Create repositories
- Fork projects
- Clone code to your computer
- Contribute via pull requests
- Explore millions of open-source projects
🛠️ Pro Tip: Set Up Git Locally
To start using Git from your terminal or Git Bash:
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "yo*@ex*****.com"
This links your commits to your GitHub identity.
