GitHub Practice Guide using Desktop GUI

Objectives

• Clone a GitHub repository using GitHub Desktop.
• Edit the README.md file.
• Commit changes to the local repository.
• Create a new branch.
• Use a pull request to update the main repository.

Prerequisites

• GitHub Desktop installed.
• GitHub account linked to GitHub Desktop.
• Access to the GitHub repository called Guildlines-in-Lab.

---

Step-by-Step Practice

Step 1: Clone the Repository

1. Open GitHub Desktop.
2. Click on File > Clone Repository.
3. Under the URL tab, enter the URL of the Guildlines-in-Lab repository.
4. Choose a local path to store the cloned repository and click Clone.

Step 2: Create a New Branch

1. In GitHub Desktop, click on the Current Branch dropdown at the top of the window.
2. Select New Branch.
3. Name your new branch, for example, update-readme, and click Create Branch.

Step 3: Edit the README.md File

1. In the local repository folder, open the README.md file in a text editor.
2. Add a short description about the purpose of this repository or a fun fact about your lab.
3. Save the changes. Note: Empty folder won't trigger status update.

Step 4: Commit the Changes

1. Go back to GitHub Desktop.
2. In the Changes tab, you will see the modified README.md file.
3. Add a summary for the commit, like “Added a description to README.md”.
4. Click Commit to update-readme.

Step 5: Push Branch and Create a Pull Request

1. Click Publish Branch to push the new branch to GitHub.
2. In GitHub Desktop, click on Create Pull Request.
3. This will open a browser window where you can see the pull request form on GitHub.
4. Add a title and description for the pull request, explaining the changes you made.
5. Click Create Pull Request.

---

Practice Wrap-Up

• Edit Name to ID: Please upload a md file called Your_Name.md include:
  1. Your name & your GitHub ID
  2. Some information you'd like to share with the world.
• Review: Make sure each crewmate has completed these steps successfully.

This guide helps crewmates become familiar with:

• Creating branches for new work.
• Using pull requests to add changes.
• Reviewing and merging changes in GitHub.

---

Reference:

• Markdown Cheatsheet
• Markdown Inline Code