Microsoft to acquire GitHub for $7.5 billion, extend reach to developers

Microsoft agreed to acquire GitHub for $7.5 billion in Microsoft stock.

GitHub is the leading repository for open source code. The company has over 28 million developers collaborating on its platform.

GitHub vows to retain its developer-first ethos and to operate independently to provide an open platform for all developers in all industries. Microsoft said GitHub will become part of its Intelligent Cloud segment for accounting purposes.

“Microsoft is a developer-first company, and by joining forces with GitHub we strengthen our commitment to developer freedom, openness and innovation,” said Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft. “We recognize the community responsibility we take on with this agreement and will do our best work to empower every developer to build, innovate and solve the world’s most pressing challenges.”

“I’m extremely proud of what GitHub and our community have accomplished over the past decade, and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead. The future of software development is bright, and I’m thrilled to be joining forces with Microsoft to help make it a reality. Their focus on developers lines up perfectly with our own, and their scale, tools and global cloud will play a huge role in making GitHub even more valuable for developers everywhere,” said Chris Wanstrath, Github CEO and co-founder.