Whats the difference between made it and did it when they arr used to mean success?

Question

My colleague in America fixed his computer after having a lot of conversations with IT guy in Korea. He skyped and told me It's finally fixed and I replied "you finally made it!!!. I'm sure he obviously understood what I tried to mean.

Some time later, I statrted to wonder whether I would have used "you finally did it" instead of made it.

My questionS here are

Either 'made it' or 'did it' allowable for above sentence?

Can I always use you made it to mean you finished something succesfully? or I can use it only in particular cases?

Answer 1

“Made it” has the connotation of arriving somewhere (either physical, like to the end of a race or to a distant city), or in time (to one’s sixtieth birthday, say).

“Did it” has the connotation of completing an activity or creation of something.

“Did it” would have been better in context in your situation.

Answer 2

"Made" in this sense means

to include in a route or itinerary (—often used with it)

(see definition 23a, Marriam-Webster)

and having made it means "completing the journey" in a sense.

"Did" would be the classical "to do sth." as in a task.

Both are valid, the former implies a process, the latter a 'step'.

Answer 3

"Made" could also be used to say someone created something.

Example: I made a painting for my grandma.