Hey everyone! I'm really diving into the world of programming and recently set up a GitHub account. My goal is to collaborate on projects and manage my code just like the pros do. However, I'm feeling completely lost! Terms like branches, commits, repositories, and pull requests have me scratching my head. I'm not sure where to even click or what my first steps should be. Could anyone share some super beginner-friendly tutorials, videos, or guides that helped you when you first started out? I'd really appreciate any step-by-step resources or even some personal tips. Thanks a lot for your support!
4 Answers
Here’s the scoop: GitHub is where your projects live, and Git is what you use to manage the changes. You'll want to learn Git basics first. Branches are like different work areas for your code, while commits save your changes locally before you push them to GitHub. Pull requests are how you ask others to review your changes. It might sound tricky, but it’ll click once you start using it!
Remember, GitHub is the platform for hosting your projects, but Git is the tool you need to manage your files. Before diving into GitHub, focus on learning Git itself. A good starting point is looking up 'Git tutorials' online; you'll find plenty of resources. Git Tower is a popular choice as well, but there's no shortage of alternatives out there!
I totally understand where you're coming from; it was overwhelming for me too at first. For me, tutorials didn't help much because they felt too abstract. I suggest just reading the Git documentation as you're working on your projects. Use Google for questions and even ask AI for help when you're stuck! It can feel confusing, but with practice, it gets easier. Even Linus Torvalds mentioned no one liked Git at first! Just keep using it, and it will click eventually.
If you're just starting out with Git, I highly recommend the "Learn Git Branching" tutorial (check it out [here](https://learngitbranching.js.org/)). It visually explains how to use Git and covers the concepts really well. GitHub also offers a great 'Hello World' guide ([link here](https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/start-your-journey/hello-world)) that walks you through the basics of using repositories, branches, and commits. It's really helpful!
Yeah, just to clarify, you got push and commit mixed up. You commit changes locally and then push them to GitHub. But don’t worry; it happens to everyone!