GitHub Repository Guide

Repository Structure

A well-organized repository makes collaboration easier and improves maintainability. The typical structure includes:

Standard GitHub repository structure with key directories

src/ - Source code files
docs/ - Documentation files
tests/ - Test files
.github/ - GitHub-specific files (workflows, templates)
config/ - Configuration files

Directory Organization

Keep your repository organized by separating concerns into different directories. Group related files together and avoid excessive nesting (2-3 levels maximum).

Git Workflow

Understanding Git workflows is essential for effective collaboration. The most common workflow is Git Flow:

Git Flow branching model visualization

Key Branches

main

develop

features

Branch Protection

Always protect your main branch to require pull requests and prevent direct pushes. This maintains code quality and prevents accidental changes to production code.

CI/CD Pipeline

Continuous Integration and Deployment (CI/CD) automates your testing and deployment processes:

GitHub Actions workflow visualization

Pipeline Stages

Linting: Code style validation
Testing: Unit and integration tests
Building: Compilation and artifact creation
Deployment: Staging/production release

# Sample GitHub Actions workflow name: CI Pipeline on: [push] jobs: build: runs-on: ubuntu-latest steps: - uses: actions/checkout@v2 - name: Install dependencies run: npm install - name: Run tests run: npm test

Pull Request Process

Pull requests (PRs) are the core collaboration mechanism in GitHub:

Pull request lifecycle from creation to merge

PR Best Practices

Keep PRs small and focused (300-500 lines max)
Include clear descriptions and context
Reference related issues
Request reviews from relevant team members
Address all review comments before merging

Code Review Guidelines

Effective code reviews should focus on:

Functionality correctness
Code readability and style
Architecture and design
Test coverage
Documentation updates

Repository Metrics

Tracking repository metrics helps maintain code health and team productivity:

GitHub contribution graph showing activity patterns

Key Metrics to Monitor

Commit Frequency: Regular contributions
PR Cycle Time: Time from open to merge
Issue Resolution: Time to close issues

Code Churn: Frequency of changes
Test Coverage: Percentage of tested code
Dependency Updates: Outdated packages

Metrics Interpretation

While metrics provide valuable insights, they shouldn't be used as absolute performance indicators. Context matters - sometimes slower PR cycles mean more thorough reviews.