To put it simply, Github is used to store and track code. As an engineer, you're constantly creating new code and updating old versions of your code, so it can be difficult to track where you made changes without some sort of version control. In the same way someone might save similar, but different versions of their resume for multiple jobs with specific content for each, an engineer needs to track different versions of their code as features are released or removed.
First off, what is Github?
To put it simply, Github is used to store and track code. As an engineer, you're constantly creating new code and updating old versions of your code, so it can be difficult to track where you made changes without some sort of version control. In the same way someone might save similar, but different versions of their resume for multiple jobs with specific content for each, an engineer needs to track different versions of their code as features are released or removed.
What are you looking at?
Overview — The Overview is a snapshot of an individuals activity within Github. It highlights their activity and the code they create or follow.
Repositories — Repositories = Folders. A repository is where an engineer would store a specific block(s) of code. It can your own code or someone else's. In the same way you might store files in folders in Dropbox or Google Drive, engineers store code in folders called repositories on Github. Truthfully, engineers don't need Github, just like you don't have to have Dropbox, but storing files in the cloud is easier for tracking versions of your code and sharing it with other people.
Contributions — This is simply a reflection of how active someone is on Github. It's a summary of activities, including how frequently they add and subtract code (push), what code they are capturing to use themselves (pull), etc. When someone is pushing code to a repository, it's about the same as some hitting "Command Save" on their computer. It's probably good practice to do this consistently, but everyone has their own cadence. The darker green dots basically just means there were more changes made before pushing the code to Github.
What should you look for?
Languages — Each repository indicates the primary language being used. That said, repositories can include multiple languages in them. In a simple web app, an engineer might use Javascript and Ruby on Rails, but if a bulk of the code is Javascript, it'll show that as the language. You can click on the repository to see the breakdown, but it's worth taking a high level perspective on this and here's why:
- It will help you find out what language the individual is working with most frequently
- It shows what languages they are most curious about and trying to learn in their own time
If an engineer primarily has HTML, CSS, and Javascript repositories, it's pretty safe to assume they are mostly interested or working with frontend systems.
Stars — Stars are used to flag repositories that interest the person. Since Github is an "Open Sourced" platform where anyone can publish their work, it's common for engineers to star repositories that interest them. Stars can tell a story just like bookmarks can for avid readers.
Github is a very powerful tool. As a recruiter, you can use it in your daily practice for finding technical talent. But, more than anything we should use this as a positive "signal" for an individuals capabilities, but never the determining factor in someones ability to code. We should leave that to the professionals who can read and write the code!
