What is the difference between public and private repositories?

Public and private repositories on GitHub serve distinct purposes, and understanding their differences is essential for users looking to manage their code effectively. A public repository is accessible to everyone on the internet. This means that anyone can view, download, and fork the repository's contents. Public repositories are often used for open source projects, where collaboration and transparency are key. They allow developers to showcase their work, contribute to other projects, and build a community around their projects. On the other hand, a private repository is restricted to a select group of individuals. Only users who have been granted specific access rights can view, clone, or contribute to the content within a private repository. This makes private repositories ideal for proprietary projects or sensitive information where confidentiality is a priority. Organizations often use private repositories to ensure that only team members or collaborators can access the codebase. Additionally, GitHub provides users with various features for both types of repositories, such as issue tracking, pull requests, and actions, among others. This allows developers to effectively manage their projects regardless of the repository's visibility status. For any further inquiries, users may want to check the available resources on GitHub's official web page.