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Purpose of this document
This study guide should help you understand what to expect on the exam and includes a summary of the topics the exam might cover and links to additional resources. The information and materials in this document should help you focus your studies as you prepare for the exam.
| Useful links | Description |
|---|---|
| How to earn the certification | Some certifications only require passing one exam, while others require passing multiple exams. |
| Certification renewal | Microsoft associate, expert, and specialty certifications expire annually. You can renew by passing a free online assessment on Microsoft Learn. |
| Your Microsoft Learn profile | Connecting your certification profile to Microsoft Learn allows you to schedule and renew exams and share and print certificates. |
| Exam scoring and score reports | A score of 700 or greater is required to pass. |
| Exam sandbox | You can explore the exam environment by visiting our exam sandbox. |
| Request accommodations | If you use assistive devices, require extra time, or need modification to any part of the exam experience, you can request an accommodation. |
About the exam
Some exams are localized into other languages, and those are updated approximately eight weeks after the English version is updated. While Microsoft makes every effort to update localized versions as noted, there may be times when the localized versions of an exam are not updated on this schedule. Other available languages are listed in the Schedule Exam section of the Exam Details webpage. If the exam isn't available in your preferred language, you can request an additional 30 minutes to complete the exam.
Note
The bullets that follow each of the skills measured are intended to illustrate how we are assessing that skill. Related topics may be covered in the exam.
Note
Most questions cover features that are general availability (GA). The exam may contain questions on Preview features if those features are commonly used.
Domains
Audience profile
Candidates for this exam should have foundational knowledge of GitHub and its core features. This includes understanding Git, repositories, collaboration tools, project management, and modern development practices. The exam is designed for non-developers, developers, and all GitHub users seeking to improve their proficiency with GitHub fundamentals.
Skills at a glance as of January 2026
Understand Git and GitHub basics (25–30%)
Work with GitHub repositories (10–15%)
Collaborate using GitHub (10–15%)
Apply modern development practices (10–15%)
Manage projects with GitHub (5–10%)
Understand privacy, security, and administration (10–15%)
Explore the GitHub community (5–10%)
Understand Git and GitHub basics (25–30%)
Version control fundamentals
Describe the purpose and benefits of version control
Explain the difference between Git and GitHub
Identify key Git concepts such as repositories, commits, and branches
Working with GitHub
Describe GitHub accounts, organizations, and enterprise options
Explain the GitHub Flow for collaboration
Identify uses of Markdown for clear communication in issues and pull requests
Recognize when to use GitHub Desktop and GitHub Mobile
Work with GitHub repositories (10–15%)
Repository management
Describe the structure and key files of a GitHub repository (README, LICENSE, CONTRIBUTING, CODEOWNERS, SECURITY)
Identify how to create, organize, and maintain repositories using templates and branches.
Explain how to add and manage files within a repository
Describe repository insights, stars, feature previews, repository metrics dashboards, and dependency insights for improved visibility
Recognize best practices for repository maintenance and collaboration
Collaborate using GitHub (10–15%)
Collaboration tools
Describe how to use issues, pull requests, and discussions for collaboration
Explain how to link pull requests to issues and manage templates, filters, and assignments
Identify the purpose of notifications and how to configure them for workflow management
Describe how to use Gists, Wikis, and GitHub Pages to document and share information
Apply modern development practices (10–15%)
Automation and AI tools
Describe the purpose and capabilities of GitHub Actions
Identify how GitHub Copilot assists with AI-powered code suggestions, including Copilot agents, Agent Mode, and multi‑model support
Explain the differences between GitHub Copilot for Individuals, Business, and Enterprise
Describe GitHub Codespaces and how to set up, customize, and use dev containers
Explain when to use the github.dev editor and how it differs from Codespaces
Manage projects with GitHub (5–10%)
Project Tracking and organization
Describe GitHub Projects and layout options
Explain how to configure projects, labels, milestones, and workflows
Identify how to use saved replies and assignees to streamline communication
Describe how project insights can be used to track progress and productivity
Understand Privacy, security, and administration (10–15%)
Security and access management
Describe how to secure accounts with two-factor authentication (2FA) and passkeys
Identify access permissions and roles for repositories and organizations
Explain the purpose of Enterprise Managed Users (EMUs) and organization-wide Copilot policy management
Describe repository privacy options, visibility settings, and branch protection rules
Recognize how to manage organization settings, teams, and roles
Explore the GitHub community (5–10%)
Open-source engagement
Describe the benefits of open source and GitHub Sponsors
Explain how GitHub supports and advances open-source projects.
Identify how to follow users and organizations to stay informed about activity.
Describe the GitHub Marketplace and its purpose.
Explain how InnerSource applies open-source principles within organizations.
Recognize when to use forks, templates, and discoverable repositories to promote collaboration.
Study resources
Recommendations
To increase your chances of success in passing the GitHub Foundations exam, it’s essential to start with a solid foundation of basic experience, exposure, and proficiency on GitHub. The recommended learning paths for this exam provide you with an in-depth study of the learning content, followed by hands-on exercises and preparation assessment questions that were created to enable you to fine-tune your knowledge and readiness for the certification exam.
The following resources have been created in collaboration with GitHub as recommended content that covers the learning objectives in each domain for the GitHub Foundations exam.
| Study resources | Links to learning and documentation |
|---|---|
| Get trained | Choose from self-paced learning paths and modules or take an instructor-led course on Microsoft Learn – GitHub Foundations Part 1 and GitHub Foundations Part 2 |
| Microsoft Learn | GitHub Foundations learning path |
| Find documentation | Introduction to Git and GitHub Working with GitHub Repositories Collaboration Features: Issues, Pull Requests, Discussions, Notifications, and Gists, Wikis, and Pages Modern Development: Actions, Copilot, and Codespaces Project Management Privacy, Security, and Administration Benefits of the GitHub Community |
| Ask a question | GitHub Community Discussions |
| Get community support | GitHub Blog |
| Follow GitHub | Twitter |
| Find a video | YouTube |
Change log
This exam has changed significantly (e.g., new objectives were added, some were removed, existing objectives may have moved to different functional groups, and all were reworded) on January, 2026.