I'm trying to figure out the best way to separate personal projects from code I create for an employer or while studying. For services such as GitHub, should company work live under an account provided or managed by the company, or is it better to use my personal account? What about school assignments, given that student access may disappear after graduation? I understand that mixing personal and professional work can create problems, but I'm unsure which type of account is safest for each situation, especially if I change jobs, graduate, or lose access unexpectedly.
3 Answers
For company work, follow the company’s policy and use its organization or enterprise account for repositories. Keep your own personal projects separate, and never put company code or data in a personal repository. That way the employer retains access to work that belongs to it, while your private projects remain yours.
For school assignments, a personal account is often more practical because student accounts may be disabled after graduation. Use a professional-looking username, check whether the assignment has privacy or collaboration rules, and avoid publishing anything your instructor or school expects to remain private.
If the school specifically provides a repository or requires an institutional account, use that for the assignment and keep a permitted personal copy of your own work if the rules allow it.
A good rule is not to mix account ownership: company accounts and devices for company work, personal accounts and devices for personal projects, and separate academic access where required. Also keep a professional email and username distinct from casual accounts used for unrelated services.
Some companies let you use your personal account and simply add it to their organization. That can work, but make sure you understand who owns the repositories and what happens to your access when you leave.