Software development platform
GitHub
GitHub is the code hosting and software collaboration platform founded in 2008 and owned by Microsoft since 2018. Besides Git repositories, pull requests, Actions and code security tools, it sells GitHub Copilot, an AI coding assistant and agent that runs in editors, in the terminal through Copilot CLI, in a desktop app and on github.com.
Last reviewed 28 Oct 2026
Facts at a glance
| Type | Software development and code hosting platform |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2008 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California |
| Parent company | Microsoft, which announced the acquisition for $7.5 billion on 4 June 2018 source |
| AI products | GitHub Copilot in IDEs, Copilot CLI, the GitHub Copilot app, Copilot coding agent and Copilot code review |
| Latest update covered here | Computer use for Copilot CLI and the Copilot app in public preview, 1 October 2026 source |
What GitHub does in AI agents
GitHub publishes product changes for Copilot in its changelog, which is the primary source for most stories here. Its agent features include the Copilot coding agent, Copilot CLI and, since October 2026, computer use for desktop applications in preview. The timeline below lists every story on this site that names GitHub.
Questions people ask
- Who owns GitHub?
- Microsoft, which announced its acquisition of GitHub for $7.5 billion in June 2018.
- Where does GitHub announce Copilot changes?
- In the GitHub Changelog at github.blog/changelog, with details in GitHub Docs.