Hey everyone! I'm pretty new to GitHub and I have a few questions that might seem simple but would really help me out. First off, what do you actually call a GitHub post? Is it a repository? Also, is there a way to bookmark or like a repository, similar to how you would on social media like Facebook or Instagram?
I'd love to get a brief overview of some common terms used on GitHub because I want to use it more but honestly, a lot of it feels like a foreign language to me. Just for reference, I didn't build my PC myself because I was a bit worried about messing it up, so that gives you an idea of my tech level.
I joined this forum because I heard it's friendly to newbies. I've used a few posts to my advantage after someone showed me how to set things up, but once that was done, I didn't revisit it and now I feel lost. Could you give me a rundown of the basics and what features I should pay attention to? Thanks a ton and have a great weekend!
- Tony
4 Answers
To answer your questions about GitHub terminology: A post isn't usually the right term, you’d call it a repository. Yes, you can star repositories to bookmark them, and there are features like 'watch' to keep tabs on changes. It's definitely easier to grasp the terms once you understand git. I feel like diving into Git coursework will help a lot!
Yes, GitHub has stars that function a bit like likes. They're not the main focus but they do show which repositories are popular. What's your main goal with GitHub? Are you looking to share your own projects or explore others?
Stars are like bookmarks but you can even organize them into lists! That makes it easier to keep track of projects you're interested in.
I recommend learning git first! It’ll really help you understand how GitHub works. GitHub is mainly for sharing projects and collaborating, so getting familiar with git concepts will make the platform feel more straightforward. Check out online resources or YouTube for tutorials!
Great suggestion! Do you happen to have a specific link for a beginner-friendly GitHub video or article? Thanks for the help!
GitHub is all about hosting 'git' repositories. So yes, when you're asking about a GitHub post, you're really talking about a repository. It’s a folder where developers store their source code, tracked by version control through 'git'. Each time you make changes to the code, you create 'commits', basically saving your work with a message explaining what changed.
You can also 'star' a repository, which is somewhat like liking a post on social media. It's a way to bookmark repositories you find interesting. Also, there are different branches in repositories, with the main one typically called 'main' or 'master'.
You’ll definitely want to learn some basic Git terminology. For instance, 'forking' a repository lets you create a copy of it to work on your own, and then you can submit changes back to the original one through a 'pull request'. It sounds complicated, but once you get the hang of it, it opens up a lot of possibilities! Also, GitHub has a feature called GitHub Pages, which can turn your repository into a simple website. Just a heads-up—it's more about showing static content than anything dynamic like a full website would have.
I can totally relate to the confusion! I found a helpful page that simplifies everything. Check it out: https://github.com/piyerx/Github-101. It made navigating GitHub way easier for me.
Absolutely! Feel free to hit me up with questions later! Good luck with work!
That makes sense! So, learning about git first is the way to go then? Thanks for clarifying.