Getting Started with Git and GitHub/new_feature(branch)

Welcome! This guide is for beginners who want to set up and start using Git and GitHub efficiently.

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Table of Contents

• Getting Started with Git and GitHub/new_feature(branch)
  • Table of Contents
  • 1. Setting Up Your Git Credentials
  • 2. Generating and Adding an SSH Key to GitHub
  • 3. Creating a New Repository on GitHub
  • 4. Cloning an Existing Repository
  • 5. Basic Git Workflow
  • 6. Common Git Commands
  • 7. Resolving Merge Conflicts
  • 8. Why Use Git and GitHub?
  • 9. Visualizing Git Workflows
  • 10. Pull Requests for Collaboration
    • How to Create a Pull Request:
  • 11. Troubleshooting Common Issues
  • 12. Git Cheat Sheet

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1. Setting Up Your Git Credentials

Before you start using Git, configure your credentials to identify yourself in commits.

1. Set your GitHub username:

   git config --global user.name "YourGitHubUsername"

2. Set your GitHub email (must match the email used for your GitHub account):

   git config --global user.email "[email protected]"

3. Ensure your default branch name is main (important for new repositories):

   git config --global init.defaultBranch main

4. Verify your configuration:

   git config --list

   Sample output:

   user.name=YourGitHubUsername
   [email protected]
   init.defaultBranch=main

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2. Generating and Adding an SSH Key to GitHub

Using SSH for authentication makes your workflow more secure and convenient.

1. Generate an SSH key:

   ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "[email protected]"

   • When prompted, press Enter to accept the default location.
   • Leave the passphrase empty for easier access.

2. Display your SSH public key:

   cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

3. Add the SSH key to your GitHub account:

   • Go to GitHub SSH settings.
   • Click "New SSH key".
   • Paste your key and give it a meaningful title.
   • Click "Add SSH key".

   

4. Test your SSH connection:

   ssh -T [email protected]

   If successful, you'll see a message like:

   Hi username! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access.

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3. Creating a New Repository on GitHub

1. Create a repository on GitHub:

   • Go to GitHub and click "New Repository".
   • Choose a name, description, and visibility (public/private).
   • Click "Create repository".

2. Initialize a Git repository locally:

   git init

3. Add a remote repository:

   git remote add origin [email protected]:yourusername/your-repo-name.git

4. Add and commit files:

   git add .
   git commit -m "Initial commit"

5. Push changes to GitHub:

   git push -u origin main

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4. Cloning an Existing Repository

If you want to work on an existing project, clone it to your local machine:

   git clone [email protected]:username/repository-name.git

Navigate to the project directory:

   cd repository-name

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5. Basic Git Workflow

1. Check the status of your repository:

   git status

2. Stage your changes:

   git add .

3. Commit the changes with a message:

   git commit -m "Updated feature"

4. Push your changes to GitHub:

   git push

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6. Common Git Commands

Here are some common Git commands you might find useful:

• Check the current branch:

  git branch

• Create a new branch:

  git checkout -b new-branch-name

• Switch to an existing branch:

  git checkout branch-name

• Merge a branch into the current branch:

  git merge branch-name

• Delete a branch:

  git branch -d branch-name

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7. Resolving Merge Conflicts

Merge conflicts occur when changes from different branches conflict with each other. Here's how to resolve them:

1. Identify the files with conflicts:

   git status

2. Open the conflicted files and manually resolve the conflicts. Look for conflict markers (<<<<<<<, =======, >>>>>>>) and edit the file to resolve the conflicts.

3. After resolving the conflicts, stage the resolved files:

   git add resolved-file

4. Commit the resolved changes:

   git commit -m "Resolved merge conflicts"

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8. Why Use Git and GitHub?

Git and GitHub are essential tools for managing and collaborating on projects. Here are some common use cases:

• Collaborative Coding: Work together on the same codebase while tracking who made which changes.
• Open-Source Contributions: Contribute to projects like React, Linux, or TensorFlow.
• Backup and Version Control: Safeguard your code and revisit previous versions when needed.
• Portfolio Building: Showcase your projects to potential employers by hosting them on GitHub.

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9. Visualizing Git Workflows

A simple branching workflow:

main
 |
 |-------- feature-branch
 |                 |
 |                 |------- Bug fix
 |                 |               |
 |                 |               |----- Merge into main

Branches allow you to isolate features, bug fixes, or experiments from the main codebase, avoiding conflicts.

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10. Pull Requests for Collaboration

Pull requests (PRs) are how developers suggest changes in a shared repository. They are great for:

• Discussing changes with collaborators.
• Reviewing code to ensure quality and consistency.
• Merging changes into the main branch after approval.

How to Create a Pull Request:

1. Push your branch to GitHub:

   git push origin your-branch-name

2. Go to your repository on GitHub.

3. Click Pull Requests > New Pull Request.

4. Select the branch to merge and submit your request!

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11. Troubleshooting Common Issues

1. SSH Key Issues

• Problem: Permission denied (publickey) when trying to push.
• Solution:
  • Ensure your SSH key is added to GitHub (steps here).
  • Check if the SSH agent is running:

    eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
    ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

2. Conflicts During Merge

• Problem: Git shows a merge conflict after pulling changes.
• Solution:
  • Use git status to identify conflicted files.
  • Open the conflicted files, manually resolve the conflict, then:

    git add resolved-file
    git commit -m "Resolved conflicts"

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12. Git Cheat Sheet

# Basic Git Commands
git init                 # Initialize a new repository
git clone <url>          # Clone a repository
git branch               # List branches
git checkout -b <name>   # Create and switch to a new branch
git add .                # Stage changes
git commit -m "<msg>"    # Commit changes
git push origin <branch> # Push branch to remote
git pull                 # Pull latest changes

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Congratulations! You've successfully set up your GitHub credentials, created an SSH key, and pushed your first project to GitHub. Happy coding! 🚀