I'm 22 and just beginning my first programming courses at a community college after completing several general education requirements. This semester I'm taking CIS 150, which focuses on computer logic and Python, CIS 215 for C# programming, and CIS 245 on cyber defense. I'll also be taking ethical hacking after cyber defense later in the year. My programming class is in person but recorded, which helps because I work while attending school, and I've found that in-person instruction is easier for me to follow.
The coursework uses Cengage and GitHub, but I'm having trouble understanding how Git and GitHub fit together and what I'm actually expected to learn. What's the best way for a beginner to practice them, and what should I expect from these programming and cybersecurity classes?
I'm also unsure how to choose a career direction. There seem to be many possibilities within information systems, including programming, cybersecurity, product or project work, and education. How can I explore the options and figure out which path fits my interests and strengths?
3 Answers
You may be dealing with both Git and GitHub. Git is the version-control tool that tracks changes to your code on your computer, while GitHub is an online service for storing and sharing Git repositories. Start with the basic workflow: clone or create a repository, check its status, add changed files, commit with a short message, and push your commits to the remote repository. You don’t need to master every feature immediately. A beginner-friendly interactive tutorial such as Learn Git Branching can make the concepts much easier to visualize.
There are plenty of tutorials for Git, but you can make useful progress by learning a small set of commands and practicing them on simple projects. Focus on status, add, commit, pull, and push first, then learn branches when your class requires them. Make small commits with descriptive messages so you can see how version history works. For Python and C#, concentrate on understanding the fundamentals rather than trying to memorize everything: variables, conditionals, loops, functions, debugging, and reading error messages will carry over between languages.
Try not to feel pressured to select a career immediately. A CIS background can lead to software development, cybersecurity, systems or network administration, business analysis, product management, technical support, education, and other roles. Use your classes as experiments: notice whether you enjoy building programs, investigating security problems, configuring systems, explaining concepts, or working with users and business requirements. Completing small projects, attending career events, and talking with instructors or professionals can help you compare paths based on the actual day-to-day work rather than just job titles. An open mind is useful because your direction may become clearer as you gain experience.
That clears up some of the confusion. I assumed they were the same because the course website mostly refers to GitHub, so I’ll look more closely at the Git commands and how the online repository connects to them.