github.md

Using GitHub

While you can download files separately from GitHub repositories, you are better off using git itself

• Get a GitHub account ID
  • Apply for the Student Developer Pack for free stuff (including private repositories)
  • Professors, use Request a Discount instead
• Install a Git client
  • The easiest is to use GitHub Desktop
  • With VS Code there is excellent built-in Git support within the editor itself.
• Go to the repository you are interested on the github.com website
  • Click on the green Clone or download button, and choose Open in Desktop
  • You will then have a copy of the git repository on your computer, wherever you choose to store it.
• Unlike dropbox, GitHub will not automatically modify files on your local computer. This is a good thing
  • Instead, you can see if there are changes on the server by opening up your git client (e.g. GitHub Desktop)
  • Select the appropriate repository, and it should Fetch origin and tell you if there are any changes. If you want to update them, you can choose the Pull from the server.
• To track changes in a repository, you can also choose to Watch it at the top of any repository webpage