Exercise: Introduction To GitHub
Introduction to GitHub

Welcome to Your Skills Exercise!
👋 Hey there GLO-site! Welcome to your Skills exercise! If you are new to GitHub, you might find your fellow developers use issues to organize their work and collaborate. We will do the same! That's another lesson, but today, we will introduce you to the basics.
What is GitHub?
GitHub is a web-based platform for version control and collaboration on software development projects. It allows developers to store and manage their code in a centralized location, making it easier to collaborate with others and track changes to the codebase. GitHub provides a range of features, including:
- Version control: GitHub allows developers to track changes to their codebase over time, making it easier to identify and fix errors.
- Collaboration: GitHub enables multiple developers to work on the same project simultaneously, making it easier to collaborate and share code.
- Open-source: GitHub provides a platform for open-source projects, allowing developers to share their code with others and collaborate on a global scale.
Creating a GitHub Account
To get started with GitHub, you'll need to create an account. Here's a step-by-step guide:
- Go to GitHub.com: Navigate to the GitHub website and click on the "Sign up" button.
- Choose a username: Choose a unique username that will be used to identify your account.
- Create a password: Create a strong password that will be used to secure your account.
- Add your email address: Add your email address to your account, which will be used for communication and password recovery.
- Verify your email address: Verify your email address by clicking on the link sent to you by GitHub.
Creating a New Repository
Once you've created your GitHub account, you can create a new repository. Here's a step-by-step guide:
- Log in to your account: Log in to your GitHub account using your username and password.
- Click on the "+" button: Click on the "+" button in the top-right corner of the screen to create a new repository.
- Choose a repository name: Choose a unique name for your repository.
- Choose a repository description: Choose a brief description for your repository.
- Choose a repository visibility: Choose whether your repository will be public or private.
Committing Changes
Once you've created your repository, you can start committing changes to your codebase. Here's a step-by-step guide:
- Make changes to your code: Make changes to your codebase, such as adding new features or fixing bugs.
- Stage your changes: Stage your changes by running the
git add
command. - Commit your changes: Commit your changes by running the
git commit
command. - Push your changes: Push your changes to your GitHub repository by running the
git push
.
Conclusion
In this exercise, we've introduced you to the basics of GitHub, including creating a GitHub account, creating a new repository, and committing changes. We've also covered the importance of version control and collaboration in software development. In the next exercise, we'll cover how to use issues to organize your work and collaborate with others.
What's Next?
In the next exercise, we'll cover how to use issues to organize your work and collaborate with others. We'll also cover how to create a new issue, assign tasks to team members, and track progress.
Tips and Resources
- GitHub documentation: Check out the GitHub documentation for more information on using GitHub.
- GitHub tutorials: Check out the GitHub tutorials for step-by-step guides on using GitHub.
- GitHub community: Join the GitHub community to connect with other developers and get help with any questions you may have.
Conclusion
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is GitHub?
A: GitHub is a web-based platform for version control and collaboration on software development projects. It allows developers to store and manage their code in a centralized location, making it easier to collaborate with others and track changes to the codebase.
Q: What is the difference between GitHub and Git?
A: Git is a version control system that allows developers to track changes to their codebase. GitHub is a web-based platform that provides a centralized location for developers to store and manage their code, as well as collaborate with others.
Q: How do I create a GitHub account?
A: To create a GitHub account, follow these steps:
- Go to GitHub.com and click on the "Sign up" button.
- Choose a unique username that will be used to identify your account.
- Create a strong password that will be used to secure your account.
- Add your email address to your account, which will be used for communication and password recovery.
- Verify your email address by clicking on the link sent to you by GitHub.
Q: How do I create a new repository on GitHub?
A: To create a new repository on GitHub, follow these steps:
- Log in to your GitHub account using your username and password.
- Click on the "+" button in the top-right corner of the screen to create a new repository.
- Choose a unique name for your repository.
- Choose a brief description for your repository.
- Choose a repository visibility (public or private).
Q: How do I commit changes to my repository?
A: To commit changes to your repository, follow these steps:
- Make changes to your codebase, such as adding new features or fixing bugs.
- Stage your changes by running the
git add
command. - Commit your changes by running the
git commit
command. - Push your changes to your GitHub repository by running the
git push
command.
Q: What is a pull request?
A: A pull request is a request to merge changes from one branch into another branch. It allows developers to review and discuss changes before they are merged into the main codebase.
Q: How do I create a pull request?
A: To create a pull request, follow these steps:
- Make changes to your codebase and commit them to a new branch.
- Go to your repository on GitHub and click on the "Pull requests" tab.
- Click on the "New pull request" button.
- Choose the branch that you want to merge into the main codebase.
- Choose the branch that you want to merge from.
- Click on the "Create pull request" button.
Q: What is a fork?
A: A fork is a copy of a repository that is created by a user. It allows users to make changes to the original repository without affecting the original codebase.
Q: How do I fork a repository?
A: To fork a repository, follow these steps:
- Go to the repository that you want to fork.
- Click on the "Fork" button.
- Choose a name your fork.
- Click on the "Create fork" button.
Q: What is a branch?
A: A branch is a separate line of development in a repository. It allows developers to work on different features or bug fixes without affecting the main codebase.
Q: How do I create a branch?
A: To create a branch, follow these steps:
- Go to your repository on GitHub.
- Click on the "Branches" tab.
- Click on the "New branch" button.
- Choose a name for your branch.
- Click on the "Create branch" button.
Q: What is a tag?
A: A tag is a label that is attached to a specific commit in a repository. It allows developers to mark important milestones or releases in the codebase.
Q: How do I create a tag?
A: To create a tag, follow these steps:
- Go to your repository on GitHub.
- Click on the "Tags" tab.
- Click on the "New tag" button.
- Choose a name for your tag.
- Choose a commit that you want to tag.
- Click on the "Create tag" button.
Conclusion
We hope this Q&A article has helped you understand the basics of GitHub and how to use it to manage your codebase. If you have any further questions or need help with any of the topics covered in this article, please don't hesitate to ask.