Can People See Private GitHub Repositories?

GitHub offers three levels of repository visibility: public, private, and internal. Understanding the differences between these options is crucial when managing your projects and collaborating with others.

Public Repositories

Public repositories are accessible to everyone on the internet. They are ideal for open-source projects, sharing code examples, or collaborating with a wide audience. Anyone can view, fork, or contribute to a public repository.

Private Repositories

Private repositories are only accessible to you, people you explicitly share access with, and certain organization members (for organization repositories). This option is suitable for sensitive projects, proprietary code, or work that requires controlled access. Only authorized individuals can view, fork, or contribute to a private repository.

It’s important to note that if you change a repository’s visibility from public to private, any existing public forks will remain public and detached from the original repository. However, if you change a repository’s visibility from private to public, any existing private forks will remain private and become standalone repositories.

Internal Repositories

Internal repositories are accessible to enterprise members and are only available for repositories owned by an enterprise account. They provide a middle ground between public and private repositories, allowing access to all members of the enterprise while maintaining some level of control.

In summary, private repositories are not visible to the general public. They are only accessible to you and the people or organizations you explicitly grant access to. Carefully consider your project’s needs and choose the appropriate visibility setting to ensure the desired level of access and security.