AI App Development from Zero Knowledge – 1000 Hours #20

20: The Night I Realized My Code Might Have Been Public

【Summary】
This entry recounts the real moment I discovered that my GitHub repository was unintentionally set to public. Facing the unsettling thought that "someone might have seen my code," I dove deep into GitHub settings, security awareness, and the purpose of various git commands. For those who feel uneasy about managing their code, this article encourages you to start by simply understanding the basics.

My GitHub Repo Was Public

One day, I noticed that the GitHub repository for my self-developed app was set to Public.
“Wait… was my code exposed? Could it have been stolen?”
A cold sweat broke out.

I immediately consulted AI in this chat.

"Is there a way to check if someone viewed the repo while it was public?"
"I saw the ‘watch’ count was 1—was that you (the AI)?"

I asked those questions over and over.

The AI responded calmly:
"The ‘watch: 1’ refers to you. While it’s impossible to know for sure if anyone saw your repo, you can check some data under GitHub’s Insights > Traffic."

---

Turning Anxiety Into Action

Following the instructions, I opened Insights > Traffic and found the unique visitors and clone count—both were zero. I let out a small sigh of relief.

Next, I asked, “How do I make the repository private?”
The AI gave me clear steps:
Settings > General > Danger Zone > Change repository visibility
With just one click, the “Public” label vanished.

---

What git push Really Means

This experience helped me truly understand the meaning of git push.

“Does git push mean saving to the cloud?”
“Yes, that’s a correct understanding,” said the AI.

Here’s what I was doing all along:

{
  "action": "Save to the cloud",
  "steps": [
    "git add .",
    "git commit -m \"Committed latest code\"",
    "git push origin main"
  ]
}

Until then, I was just blindly following commands.
Now I finally understood why git exists and what it does.

---

A Newfound Sense of Security

The AI also warned me to check for any API keys or sensitive data in the code.
Thankfully, I hadn’t included any. But if I had, even a short period of public exposure could’ve caused major damage.

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A Message to My Future Self—and to You

It’s true. I did think:
“I wish I had been more careful.”

But at the same time, I’m glad I learned something meaningful through this.

Writing code isn’t just about building apps.
It’s about writing code that you can be proud of—code you can protect.

If you’re reading this and wondering:
“Am I managing my code properly?”

Then this article already served its purpose.

And if you’re thinking:
“Maybe I should give this a try,”

That might be the start of your 1000-hour journey.

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🌸 Today’s Haiku

A repo exposed
taught me more than perfect code—
fear turns into strength.