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GitHub Foundations Quick Facts
The GitHub Foundations Certification opens the door to demonstrating your understanding of Git, GitHub, and collaborative development essentials. This overview brings clarity and confidence to your learning journey by outlining exactly what to expect from the exam and how each domain contributes to foundational GitHub expertise.
How does the GitHub Foundations Certification build your path to modern collaboration?
The GitHub Foundations Certification validates your ability to work confidently with Git and GitHub at a foundational level. It ensures you understand how to create repositories, manage files, collaborate through pull requests and issues, and apply GitHub’s powerful workflow tools to real development scenarios. By learning the fundamentals of version control, collaboration, and project management, you gain practical fluency that supports teamwork, automation, and continuous delivery across every kind of project.
Who Should Pursue the GitHub Foundations Certification?
The GitHub Foundations Certification is perfect for anyone eager to demonstrate their foundational knowledge of Git and GitHub. It’s designed for people at all experience levels who collaborate, contribute, or build software using GitHub technologies. Whether you’re a developer, DevOps engineer, administrator, solution architect, or student, this certification helps confirm your understanding of the essentials that power modern software collaboration.
By earning this credential, you not only show that you can navigate GitHub confidently but also demonstrate an understanding of how repositories, pull requests, and community-driven workflows accelerate innovation.
What Kind of Roles Benefit from the GitHub Foundations Credential?
This certification opens doors for professionals involved in software creation, automation, or teamwork around code. Typical beneficiaries include:
- Developers using Git and GitHub for version control and collaboration
- DevOps engineers integrating automation and CI/CD workflows
- Administrators managing repositories and permissions
- Project or product managers overseeing GitHub-based project boards
- Open source contributors building their reputation within the global GitHub community
It’s also a great starting point for those exploring technical or community-focused careers in software collaboration.
What Is the Exam Code and Who Provides It?
The exam code is GH-900, officially titled GitHub Foundations Certification. This assessment is provided by Microsoft but maintained directly by GitHub, ensuring its content stays aligned with the latest GitHub tools and processes.
The certification itself is a testament to your understanding of GitHub’s core features, collaboration tools, and version control concepts.
How Much Does the GitHub Foundations Exam Cost?
The exam cost is $99 USD. Pricing may vary depending on your location and currency exchange rates. When registering through Pearson VUE, the price is displayed before checkout so you can confirm the cost for your region.
This small investment demonstrates your commitment to professional growth and can help you stand out in job markets that value software collaboration expertise.
How Long Is the Exam and How Many Questions Are There?
You’ll have 100 minutes to complete the exam, which includes a total of 75 questions. The questions are designed to test your conceptual understanding and your ability to apply Git and GitHub fundamentals in various scenarios.
Question types include multiple-choice and multi-select, so it’s important to fully understand the context of each question. Many test-takers find the balance of theory and practical knowledge to be both engaging and rewarding.
What’s the Passing Score for Exam GH-900?
To earn your certification, you’ll need to achieve a passing score of 70% or higher. Each question contributes to your overall result, and the scoring model places emphasis on your total performance across all content domains.
Even if you feel stronger in some areas than others, every section builds your overall score. This holistic scoring ensures your certification reflects a broad and practical understanding of GitHub’s foundational tools and features.
What Topics and Domains Does the GH-900 Exam Cover?
The GitHub Foundations exam blueprint is divided into seven main domains, each designed to test core GitHub capabilities and best practices:
- Introduction to Git and GitHub
- Working with GitHub Repositories
- Collaboration Features
- Modern Development
- Project Management
- Privacy, Security, and Administration
- Benefits of the GitHub Community
What Languages Is the Exam Offered In?
You can take the GitHub Foundations Certification exam in English, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Korean, and Japanese. This multilingual support ensures that GitHub learners all around the world can demonstrate their skills in the language they’re most comfortable using.
How Long Is the Certification Valid?
Once earned, the GitHub Foundations Certification remains valid for two years. This ensures your credential reflects current GitHub technologies and collaboration practices. You can renew your certification by retaking the updated exam or pursuing advanced GitHub or DevOps credentials through Microsoft Learn.
Are There Any Prerequisites Before Taking GH-900?
There are no prerequisites for the GitHub Foundations Certification. You don’t need prior certification or programming experience. However, some familiarity with Git or GitHub will make your preparation more intuitive. If you’ve ever committed code, opened an issue, or reviewed a pull request, you already have the practical foundation to start strong.
What Is the Difficulty Level of This Exam?
The GH-900 is a beginner-level certification, ideal for those getting started with Git-based collaboration. While it introduces foundational concepts, the questions are designed to test understanding rather than memorization.
If you have some hands-on experience using GitHub for projects, the exam will feel like a natural extension of what you already know about practical collaboration and code management.
Which Question Types Appear on the Exam?
Expect a mix of multiple-choice and multi-select questions. Each item evaluates your comprehension of Git basics, GitHub workflows, and collaborative features.
Some questions may describe real-world software scenarios where you must choose the best GitHub feature or workflow. This format keeps the exam engaging and realistic to actual industry practices.
How Should I Prepare for the GH-900 GitHub Foundations Exam?
Preparation can be rewarding when you combine theory with hands-on experience. Here’s a strong approach to get ready:
- Review the official study guide included in the exam overview.
- Explore GitHub’s learning resources, including guided courses and tutorials.
- Practice using Git commands like clone, commit, push, and merge in sample repositories.
- Collaborate on open-source or personal projects to apply what you learn.
You can also strengthen your readiness with realistic GitHub Foundations practice exams that mirror the live test environment.
What Are the Key Skills You’ll Gain?
By earning this certification, you’ll demonstrate valuable abilities such as:
- Using Git for version control and source tracking
- Collaborating through pull requests, branches, and issues
- Managing privacy, permissions, and organizational security
- Automating workflows using GitHub Actions
- Engaging effectively with open-source communities
These skills prepare you not only for certification success but also for daily use in modern development environments.
Where and How Do I Take the Exam?
The GitHub Foundations exam is proctored and delivered through Pearson VUE, which supports both in-person and online options. The online version allows you to test remotely under secure conditions using your webcam and a quiet environment.
You can schedule your desired time and date conveniently once you register through Microsoft Learn or directly via Pearson VUE.
What Happens If You Don’t Pass the Exam?
If you don’t meet the passing score on your first attempt, don’t worry—you can retake the exam after 24 hours. For subsequent retakes, the waiting period may vary. GitHub and Microsoft provide a clear exam retake policy that outlines all details.
Each attempt helps you understand the question format better and brings you closer to earning your credential with confidence.
Is Hands-On GitHub Experience Needed?
While hands-on experience isn’t mandatory, it’s highly beneficial. Creating repositories, making commits, and experimenting with GitHub Projects can help you connect theory with practical skills.
Even small contributions to public repositories or collaborative exercises with peers can give you the real-world insight that reinforces the topics covered in the exam.
How Does This Certification Compare to Other Developer Exams?
Unlike many programming or cloud-specific certifications, the GitHub Foundations Certification centers on collaboration and workflow mastery rather than coding syntax. It validates that you understand how GitHub underpins modern software processes, from code management to continuous integration.
For those already pursuing Microsoft or DevOps certifications, the GH-900 acts as a complementary credential showcasing your collaborative skills.
What Are Common Mistakes to Avoid When Preparing?
Candidates often overlook key areas such as repository permissions, branch policies, or GitHub Actions automation. A smart strategy is to balance your study time between Git concepts and GitHub-specific features.
Avoid relying solely on Git command memorization—make sure to practice within the GitHub interface to reinforce how the tools and features integrate seamlessly.
Can I Use This Certification as a Career Foundation?
Absolutely. The GitHub Foundations Certification builds a strong baseline for numerous career paths, particularly those focused on software collaboration, DevOps, and open-source engagement.
It’s also an excellent way to showcase your readiness for technical discussions, project management roles, or advanced certifications related to Microsoft and GitHub ecosystems.
Are Accessibility or Accommodations Available?
Yes. GitHub and Microsoft offer supportive accommodations for learners who need them. You can review the accommodations policy to request adjustments for your testing experience.
What Should You Study After Passing GH-900?
Once you’ve earned the GitHub Foundations Certification, consider expanding your credentials with intermediate-level certifications, such as Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert or advanced GitHub learning paths through Microsoft Learn. Your newfound foundational badge becomes a stepping stone toward deeper expertise in automation, cloud collaboration, and software management.
Where Can I Learn More About the Official Certification Details?
For the most accurate and current information, visit the official GitHub Foundations Certification page on Microsoft Learn. It provides the latest updates on exam objectives, scheduling, and study resources to guide your success.
