Git is a version control system that records changes to a file or set of files over time, allowing developers to recall specific versions later. GitHub is a web-based tool for storing and sharing snapshots of code, built around the Git version control system. To use these tools, developers need to install Git on their computer and create a GitHub account. The process involves opening the terminal, installing Git, setting up a user name and email address, creating a new repository, adding code to it, and pushing it to GitHub. Developers can use the terminal or a code editor like Visual Studio Code to manage their code and collaborate with others on GitHub.