Exercise: Introduction to GitHub

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Introduction to GitHub

👋 Hey there ctokoli! 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.

As you complete each step, I will respond in the comments to:

• check your work and give feedback
• share next steps
• occasionally share tips
• congratulate you when you finish!

Good luck and have fun!
- Mona

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Step 1: Create a branch

Welcome to "Introduction to GitHub"! 👋

What is GitHub?: GitHub is a collaboration platform that uses Git for versioning.
GitHub is a popular place to share and contribute to open-source software.

📺 Video: What is GitHub?

What is a repository?: A repository is a project containing files and folders.
A repository tracks versions of files and folders. For more information, see
"About repositories" from GitHub Docs.

What is a branch?: A branch is a parallel version of your repository.
By default, your repository has one branch named main and it is considered to be the definitive branch.
Creating additional branches allows you to copy the main branch of your repository and safely make any changes without disrupting the main project.
Many people use branches to work on specific features without affecting any other parts of the project.

Branches allow you to separate your work from the main branch.
In other words, everyone's work is safe while you contribute.
For more information, see "About branches".

What is a profile README?: A profile README
is essentially an "About me" section on your GitHub profile where you can share information about yourself with the community on GitHub.com.
GitHub shows your profile README at the top of your profile page. For more information, see "Managing your profile README".

⌨️ Activity: Your first branch

1. Open a new browser tab and navigate to your newly made repository (your copy of this exercise). Then, work on the steps in your second tab while you read the instructions in this tab.

2. Navigate to the < > Code tab in the header menu of your repository.

   

3. Click on the main branch drop-down.

   

4. In the text box Find or create a branch..., enter my-first-branch.

   Note: This is checked to continue with the next step. 😉

5. Click the text Create branch: my-first-branch from main to create your branch.

   
   • The branch will automatically switch to the one you just created.
   • The main branch drop-down menu will display your new branch name.

6. Now that your branch is pushed to GitHub, Mona should already be busy checking your work. Give her a moment and keep watch in the comments. You will see her respond with progress info and the next lesson.

Having trouble? 🤷

If you don't get feedback, here are some things to check:

• Make sure your created the branch with the exact name my-first-branch. No prefixes or suffixes.

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Please, follow the steps above.
I'll watch your progress in the background to provide feedback. 🧐