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title, shortTitle, intro, versions, redirect_from
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| About GitHub Desktop | About | {% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %} helps you work with projects hosted on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}. |
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{% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %} is a free, open source application that helps you to work with files hosted on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} or other Git hosting services.
You can use {% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %} alongside any tools you need to contribute to a project. For example, a typical workflow would be to use {% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %} to download a {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} repository to your computer and create a new branch, use an editor such as {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode %} to make changes to the code, then return to {% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %} to commit and push the changes to {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}.
Like any tool for contributing changes to repositories on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}, {% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %} is built around the version control software Git. If you're new to Git and {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}, you may find it easier to get started with {% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %} than you would using Git on the command line. Because {% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %} has a graphical user interface, it simplifies many of the aspects of Git that can be challenging for new users, such as memorizing commands and visualizing the changes you're making.
Even if you have experience with command-line Git, you may benefit from incorporating {% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %} into your work. If you frequently need to look up syntax for less common Git commands, such as choosing which changed lines to include in a commit or adding a co-author to a commit, you may benefit from switching to {% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %} to perform these commands.
Because {% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %} makes commands like these easy to find, and helps you visualize the changes you're introducing with an integrated diff view, it encourages best practices and helps you to create an accurate and easy-to-follow commit history so other collaborators on a project can easily review your work.
Unlike other Git clients, {% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %} is specifically designed for use with {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}, so it can make you more productive when working with repositories on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}. For example, you can authenticate to {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %} or {% data variables.product.prodname_ghe_server %} quickly, without needing to use a separate credential manager, and you can check out a pull request to run checks without needing to open your browser.
{% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %} is available for Windows and macOS. For information about installing and getting started with {% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %}, see "AUTOTITLE."
If you're interested in the open source {% data variables.product.prodname_desktop %} project, you can see the roadmap, contribute to the project, or open an issue to provide feedback in the desktop/desktop repository.