AIFrom GitHub
What is GitHub, and what is it for?
Most AI tools are published on GitHub first. What GitHub is, for someone who has never written code, and what to look at on a project page.
Contents
In a video or article about a new AI tool, you'll often see a GitHub link. Click it and you get file lists and a block of text. This article explains what to look at on that page.
What is GitHub?
GitHub is a site where developers store, share and build their code together. It has been owned by Microsoft since 2018. Just as a photographer shows work on a portfolio site, developers publish their projects here.
Most projects are open source: anyone can see the code, and many can be used for free. That's why many new AI tools appear here before they reach an app store or a website of their own.
You can make use of GitHub without knowing how to code: to read what a tool does, download a ready-made version or check whether a project can be trusted.
What to look at on a project page
Repository. Every project is a repository. The address always takes the same form: github.com/username/project-name.
README. The introduction shown below the file list. It explains what the project does, how to install it and how to use it. It's the first, and often the only, place to read to understand a project.
Stars. The star count at the top right shows how many people have liked and saved the project. It's a rough measure of popularity; on its own it doesn't guarantee quality.
Last update. Above the file list you'll see when the last change was made. A project nobody has touched for a long time may no longer work.
Releases. In the right-hand column. Ready-to-use files that don't need building from code, such as an app's installer, are usually here.
Issues. Bugs and requests reported by users. Lots of open issues left unanswered can be a sign the project isn't maintained.
Licence. It tells you how you may use the project. If you'll use it in commercial work, read the licence.
Things to watch out for
Anyone can publish a project on GitHub. Before running a file downloaded from a source you don't know, check the star count, the last update and the issues section. Don't run a file you're unsure about.
Do you need an account?
Not to read or download. To star or follow a project, or to report an issue, a free account is enough.