Microsoft Corp. announced it has reached an agreement to acquire GitHub, the world’s leading software development platform. The company was valued at $2 billion three years ago.
GitHub is the world's largest independent project designed to store code and jointly develop innovations. Details of the deal have not been disclosed. According to the media, the purchase will cost Microsoft $5 billion or more.
GitHub and Microsoft have negotiated over the years. Initially, the possibility of partnership was considered, but later Microsoft began talks of buying GitHub.
Microsoft is the major customer of GitHub, a software platform used by 28 million developers.
GitHub allows software developers to host and review code, and reportedly counts Amazon, Google and Apple among customers. Microsoft said that almost the entire community of open source developers use GitHub. The acquisition of the cutting-edge platform is crucial for Microsoft.
Satya Nadella, chief executive of Microsoft, is interested in the development of open source projects. To succeed in the technology market, corporations need the most advanced tools to interact with developers. GitHub is the solution, experts believe.
