GitHub 101

A comprehensive guide to version control and collaborative development with GitHub. Learn Git fundamentals, GitHub workflows, and best practices for open-source development.

Git vs GitHub: Understanding the Difference

Learn the key differences between Git (the version control system) and GitHub (the collaborative platform) to master both tools effectively.

🔧 Git

Version Control System

Runs locally on your computer
Tracks changes in your files
Creates snapshots (commits) of your code
Manages different versions and branches
Works offline
Command-line tool

GitHub

Collaborative Platform

Hosts your Git repositories online
Enables collaboration with teams
Provides web interface for Git
Offers pull requests and code review
Includes issue tracking and project management
Available anywhere with internet connection

📚 Think of it this way:

Git is like a powerful filing system for your documents that tracks every change you make. GitHub is like Google Drive - it stores your filing system in the cloud and lets you share it with others.

📝

Version Control

Track every change to your code with precision. Never lose work or wonder "what broke" again.

🤝

Collaboration

Work seamlessly with teams of any size. Review code, discuss changes, and merge contributions effortlessly.

🚀

Deployment

Automate testing and deployment with GitHub Actions. Ship reliable code faster than ever.

🔍

Code Discovery

Explore millions of open-source projects. Learn from the best and contribute to the community.

Edit

Make changes

→

Stage

Prepare commits

→

Commit

Save snapshot

→

Push

Share changes

📈 Version Control in Action

Here's how version control works in practice with a real PowerShell script example:

v1.0

Initial Version

Started with a basic PowerShell script

# Get-SystemInfo.ps1 - Initial version
Write-Host "Hello, World!"

↓

v1.1

Added Error Handling

Enhanced with try-catch blocks for reliability

# Added error handling
try {
    Write-Host "Hello, World!" -ForegroundColor Green
    # More functionality here
}
catch {
    Write-Error "Something went wrong: $_"
}

↓

v1.2

Performance & Best Practices

Applied PowerShell best practices and optimization

# Performance improvements
[CmdletBinding()]
param()

try {
    Write-Host "Hello, World!" -ForegroundColor Green
    # Optimized code with better practices
    Write-Verbose "Script completed successfully"
}
catch {
    Write-Error "Something went wrong: $_"
    exit 1
}

🎯 Why This Matters

Track Changes: See exactly what changed between versions
Collaborate Safely: Multiple developers can work without conflicts
Roll Back: Return to any previous working version instantly
Branch Development: Work on features without breaking main code

🧠Quick Check

What is the main benefit of version control?

Making code run faster Tracking changes and collaboration Creating websites

Setting Up Git & GitHub

🛠️ Complete Setup Guide

Choose your preferred workflow - you can use one or all of these tools together:

🔧 Essential (Required)

Git (Command Line)
GitHub Account

🎨 Optional (Recommended)

GitHub Desktop (GUI)
VS Code + GitHub Extension

🔧 Essential Setup (Required)

1

Access GitHub

📋 Setup Steps

Create GitHub Account: Sign up at github.com (free account)
Verify Email: Check your email and verify your GitHub account
Setup Profile: Add your name, bio, and profile picture
Enable 2FA: Set up two-factor authentication for security
Explore GitHub: Take a look around the GitHub interface

🎁 What you get with GitHub (Free Account):

Unlimited public repositories
Unlimited private repositories
GitHub Actions (2000 minutes/month free)
GitHub Packages (500 MB free storage)
Community support and documentation
Basic security features and dependency alerts
Integration with thousands of development tools

2

Install Git

Download Git from git-scm.com/downloads
Choose your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux)
Run the installer and follow the setup wizard

✅ Recommended Selections:

☑️ Git Bash Here
☑️ Git GUI Here
☑️ Associate .git* configuration files with default text editor
☑️ Associate .sh files to be run with Bash

🔧 Default Editor:

Choose your preferred editor (VS Code, Notepad++, or Vim)

🌐 Line Ending Conversions:

Select "Checkout Windows-style, commit Unix-style line endings"

Verify Installation:

# Open terminal/command prompt and test
git --version
# Should show: git version 2.42.0 or similar

3

Configure Git Identity

Set up your identity for commits:

# Set your name and email (required)
git config --global user.name "Norman Borlaug"
git config --global user.email "nborlaug@ag.tamu.edu"

# Optional: Set default branch name
git config --global init.defaultBranch main

# Optional: Improve Windows performance
git config --global core.preloadindex true
git config --global core.fscache true
git config --global gc.auto 256

💡 Configuration Explanation:

user.name & user.email: Appears in every commit you make
init.defaultBranch: Sets default branch name to 'main' (modern standard)
Windows optimizations: Improves Git performance on Windows systems

4

Setup Authentication

Choose one method to authenticate with GitHub:

🔑 SSH Keys (Recommended)

More secure and convenient for regular use.

# Generate SSH key
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your-email@example.com"

# Start SSH agent
eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

# Add key to SSH agent
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

# Copy public key to clipboard
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub | clip

Run the commands above
Go to GitHub → Settings → SSH and GPG keys
Click "New SSH key"
Paste your public key and save
Test: ssh -T git@github.com

🎫 Personal Access Token

Alternative method using HTTPS.

Go to GitHub → Settings → Developer settings → Personal access tokens → Tokens (classic)
Click "Generate new token"
Set expiration and select scopes (repo, workflow)
Copy and save the token securely
Use token as password when Git prompts for authentication

5

Test Your Setup

Let's verify everything works with a test repository:

🧪 Complete Workflow Test

# 1. Create a test directory
mkdir my-first-repo
cd my-first-repo

# 2. Initialize Git repository
git init

# 3. Create a README file
echo "# My First Repository" > README.md
echo "This is a test repository to verify my Git setup." >> README.md

# 4. Add and commit
git add README.md
git commit -m "Initial commit: Add README"

# 5. Create repository on GitHub (via web interface)
# - Go to github.com, click "+" → "New repository"
# - Name it "my-first-repo", keep it public
# - Don't initialize with README (we already have one)

# 6. Connect local repo to GitHub
git remote add origin git@github.com:YOUR_USERNAME/my-first-repo.git
# OR if using HTTPS: git remote add origin https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/my-first-repo.git

# 7. Push to GitHub
git branch -M main
git push -u origin main

✅ Success Indicators:

No authentication errors when pushing
Repository appears on your GitHub profile
README.md is visible on GitHub
Commit history shows your name and email

🔧 Common Issues:

Permission denied: Check SSH key or token setup
Wrong author: Verify git config user.name and user.email
Remote exists: Repository might already exist on GitHub

🎨 GitHub Desktop (Visual Git Interface)

✨ Why GitHub Desktop?

Visual Interface: See changes, branches, and history graphically
Beginner Friendly: No command line knowledge required
Windows Integration: Native Windows application
GitHub Integration: Built-in pull request and issue management
Conflict Resolution: Visual merge conflict resolution

📸 GitHub Desktop Interface

Repository list
Branch visualization
Commit history
File diff viewer

1

Download and Install

Download GitHub Desktop or use Git command line
Run GitHubDesktopSetup-x64.exe
GitHub Desktop will automatically install and update
No additional configuration needed - it uses your system Git installation

2

Sign In and Configure

Launch GitHub Desktop
Sign in with your GitHub account
Choose your name and email (should match your Git config)
Select repositories to clone or create new ones

🔄 Typical GitHub Desktop Workflow:

1. Clone repository

2. Create branch

3. Make changes in your editor

4. Review changes in Desktop

5. Commit changes

6. Push to GitHub

7. Create Pull Request

3

Key Features for Windows Engineers

Repository Management

Clone, create, and switch between repositories with ease

Branch Visualization

See branch relationships and history graphically

📝 Commit History

Browse commits with file changes and diff viewing

🔀 Merge Conflicts

Resolve conflicts with built-in merge tools

🔄 Pull Requests

Create and manage pull requests directly from Desktop

🔍 File Changes

See exactly what changed in your PowerShell/Python files

💻 VS Code + GitHub Integration

🚀 Why VS Code + GitHub?

Integrated Workflow: Edit, commit, and push without leaving your editor
PowerShell Support: Excellent PowerShell extension with debugging
Python Support: Built-in Python support with linting and debugging
GitHub Features: Pull requests, issues, and codespaces integration
Extensions: Massive ecosystem for Windows development

1

Install VS Code

Download from code.visualstudio.com
Run the installer (choose "User Installer" for single user)
Important: Check "Add to PATH" during installation
VS Code automatically detects your Git installation

2

Install Essential Extensions

🔧 GitHub Extension Pack

Extension ID: GitHub.vscode-github-extension-pack

Includes: GitHub Pull Requests, GitHub Repositories, GitHub Codespaces

⚡ PowerShell Extension

Extension ID: ms-vscode.PowerShell

Syntax highlighting, debugging, IntelliSense for PowerShell

📊 GitLens

Extension ID: eamodio.gitlens

Enhanced Git capabilities and blame annotations

📦 Quick Install Commands:

# Install extensions via command line
code --install-extension GitHub.vscode-github-extension-pack
code --install-extension ms-vscode.PowerShell
code --install-extension eamodio.gitlens

3

Configure GitHub Integration

Open VS Code
Press Ctrl+Shift+P and type "GitHub: Sign In"
Authenticate with your GitHub account
VS Code will automatically sync your repositories

🎯 Key VS Code Git Features:

Source Control Panel: Stage, commit, and push changes

Integrated Terminal: Run Git commands directly

Diff Editor: Compare file changes side-by-side

Merge Conflicts: Visual conflict resolution tools

Pull Requests: Create and review PRs without leaving VS Code

GitHub Issues: Link commits to issues automatically

4

Windows Engineer Workflow

📝 Example: Editing a PowerShell Script

# 1. Open repository in VS Code
code C:\Projects\PowerShell-Tools

# 2. Create new branch (Ctrl+Shift+P → "Git: Create Branch")
# 3. Edit your PowerShell script with full IntelliSense
# 4. Use integrated terminal for testing:
.\Scripts\Backup-Files.ps1 -WhatIf

# 5. Stage changes in Source Control panel
# 6. Commit with descriptive message
# 7. Push branch and create PR directly in VS Code

🔍 Tool Comparison Guide

Feature	Git CLI	GitHub Desktop	VS Code + GitHub
Learning Curve	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Steep)	⭐⭐ (Easy)	⭐⭐⭐ (Moderate)
Power & Flexibility	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Maximum)	⭐⭐⭐ (Limited)	⭐⭐⭐⭐ (High)
Visual Interface	❌ Text only	✅ Full GUI	✅ Integrated GUI
PowerShell Integration	✅ Native	❌ External editor needed	✅ Excellent with extension
Python Integration	✅ Via terminal	❌ External editor needed	✅ Built-in support
Merge Conflicts	⭐⭐ (Text-based)	⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Visual tools)	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Best-in-class)
Pull Requests	❌ Web browser only	✅ View and create	✅ Full management
Automation Friendly	✅ Perfect for scripts	❌ GUI only	✅ Tasks and extensions

🎯 Recommendations by Role:

👨‍💻 New to Git

Start with: GitHub Desktop + VS Code

Learn Git concepts visually, then gradually use command line

⚡ PowerShell Developer

Recommended: VS Code + Git CLI

Best PowerShell support with Git integration

🔧 System Administrator

Recommended: Git CLI + GitHub Desktop

Command line for automation, GUI for complex operations

👥 Team Lead

Recommended: All tools

Be proficient with what your team uses

✅ Verify Your Setup

Test your installation and configuration:

Working with Repositories

Before you can use Git commands, you need to understand what repositories are and how to work with them. A repository is like a project folder that tracks all changes to your files.

Creating a New Repository

Option 1: Start on GitHub

Click "New repository" on GitHub
Choose a name (e.g., "powershell-scripts")
Add description and README
Clone to your local machine

git clone https://github.com/username/powershell-scripts.git

Option 2: Start Locally

Create project folder
Initialize Git repository
Create initial files
Push to GitHub

mkdir my-scripts
cd my-scripts
git init
git remote add origin https://github.com/username/my-scripts.git

Cloning Existing Repositories

Cloning creates a local copy of a remote repository:

git clone https://github.com/username/repository-name.git

Try It: Clone Simulation

Managing Your Repository

Check Status

git status

Shows modified files and staging area

View History

git log --oneline

Shows commit history in compact format

🧠Quick Check

What's the difference between cloning and forking a repository?

Cloning creates a local copy, forking creates your own GitHub copy They're the same thing Forking is only for private repositories

Basic Git Operations

Now that you understand repositories, let's learn the essential Git commands you'll use every day. These four operations form the foundation of Git workflow.

🔍 Status

Check what files have changed

➕ Add

Stage files for the next commit

💾 Commit

Save a snapshot of your changes

☁️ Push

Upload your commits to GitHub

Your First Git Workflow

Let's walk through the basic steps of making and sharing changes:

1

Check Status

git status

See what files you've changed and what's ready to commit

2

Stage Your Changes

# Stage a specific file
git add myfile.txt

# Stage all changed files
git add .

Tell Git which changes you want to include in your next commit

3

Commit Your Changes

git commit -m "Add user login feature"

Create a snapshot with a descriptive message

4

Push to GitHub

git push

Upload your commits to the remote repository

🎮 Interactive Git Staging Simulator

Practice the Git workflow by dragging files between states and running commands. This mirrors exactly what happens when you use Git!

📁 My PowerShell Project

Ready to practice Git workflow!

📝 Working Directory

Files you've modified but not staged

📄 Get-SystemInfo.ps1 Modified

📄 Install-Software.ps1 New File

📋 README.md Modified

📦 Staging Area

Files ready to be committed

📭

Drag files here to stage them

or use: git add filename

🏛️ Repository

Committed files in your Git history

a1b2c3d Initial PowerShell utilities

2 files committed

💻 Practice Git Commands

$

Try these commands:

🏆 Learning Progress

🔍 Status Checker Run git status

➕ File Stager Stage a file

💾 Commit Master Make your first commit

✨ Clean Slate Achieve clean working tree

🧠Quick Check

What command stages all your changes for commit?

git add . git commit . git push .

Branching & Merging

Once you're comfortable with basic Git operations, branches unlock the real power of Git. Work on features safely without breaking your main code.

🌳 Branch

A separate line of development

🔀 Merge

Combining changes from different branches

⚡ Conflict

When Git needs help merging changes

⬇️ Pull

Download changes from remote repository

Complete Git Workflow Guide

📅 Daily Git Workflow for Windows Engineers

1

Start Your Day - Sync with Remote

# Check current status
git status

# Switch to main branch
git checkout main

# Get latest changes from team
git pull origin main

# See what's new
git log --oneline -5

Always start by syncing with the remote repository to get the latest changes from your team.

2

Create or Switch to Feature Branch

# Create new feature branch
git checkout -b feature/improve-backup-logging

# Or switch to existing branch
git checkout feature/existing-feature

# Verify you're on the right branch
git branch

Work on features in separate branches to keep main stable.

3

Make Your Changes

# Edit your PowerShell scripts
# Add-BackupLogging.ps1

# Check what you've changed
git diff

# See which files are modified
git status

Make focused, logical changes. Don't mix unrelated improvements in one commit.

4

Stage and Commit Changes

# Stage specific files
git add Scripts/Get-SystemInfo.ps1
git add Tests/Get-SystemInfo.Tests.ps1

# Or stage all changes
git add .

# Review what's staged
git diff --staged

# Commit with descriptive message
git commit -m "Add detailed CPU and memory reporting

- Implement Get-CPUInfo function with core count and speed
- Add Get-MemoryInfo with usage percentage calculation
- Include error handling for remote computer access
- Add progress indicators for multi-computer reporting"

Write commit messages that explain WHY you made the changes, not just WHAT changed.

5

Push and Share Your Work

# Push branch to remote (first time)
git push -u origin feature/cpu-memory-reporting

# Subsequent pushes
git push

# Create pull request on GitHub
# (Done via web interface)

Push regularly to backup your work and share progress with your team.

🚀 Feature Development Workflow

Phase 1: Planning & Setup

# Start from latest main
git checkout main
git pull origin main

# Create descriptive feature branch
git checkout -b feature/azure-blob-backup

# Set up tracking with remote
git push -u origin feature/azure-blob-backup

Phase 2: Development Cycle

# Work in small commits
git add Scripts/Azure-Backup.ps1
git commit -m "Add Azure Blob Storage connection module"

git add Scripts/Azure-Backup.ps1
git commit -m "Implement file upload with progress tracking"

git add Tests/Azure-Backup.Tests.ps1
git commit -m "Add unit tests for Azure backup functions"

# Push frequently
git push

Phase 3: Stay Current

# Regularly sync with main to avoid conflicts
git checkout main
git pull origin main
git checkout feature/azure-blob-backup
git merge main

# Resolve any conflicts and continue

Phase 4: Testing & Cleanup

# Run tests before submitting
Invoke-Pester -Path ./Tests/

# Clean up commit history if needed
git rebase -i HEAD~5  # Interactive rebase

# Final push
git push --force-with-lease  # Safe force push

Phase 5: Integration

# Create pull request via GitHub web interface
# After approval and merge, clean up

git checkout main
git pull origin main
git branch -d feature/azure-blob-backup
git push origin --delete feature/azure-blob-backup

👥 Team Collaboration Workflow

Scenario: Team developing a System Information Reporter tool

🔧 Developer A (You)

Working on CPU and Memory reporting

👨‍💻 Developer B

Working on disk and network info

👩‍💼 Team Lead

Reviews and merges changes

Monday 9:00 AM

Team standup - assign work

# Everyone syncs with main
git checkout main && git pull origin main

Monday 9:30 AM

Create feature branches

# You
git checkout -b feature/cpu-memory-reporting

# Developer B  
git checkout -b feature/disk-network-info

Tuesday 2:00 PM

Share progress - create draft PR

# Push work in progress
git push -u origin feature/cpu-memory-reporting

# Create draft pull request for early feedback

Wednesday 10:00 AM

Merge conflict resolution

# Developer B merged their changes to main
# You need to update your branch

git checkout main
git pull origin main
git checkout feature/cpu-memory-reporting
git merge main

# Resolve conflicts in shared helper functions
# Edit conflicted files, then:
git add .
git commit -m "Merge main - resolve utility function conflicts"

Thursday 4:00 PM

Ready for review

# Mark PR as ready for review
# Team lead reviews code
# Address feedback with additional commits

Friday 11:00 AM

Merge and cleanup

# After approval, team lead merges
# Clean up your local repository

git checkout main
git pull origin main
git branch -d feature/cpu-memory-reporting

👍 Collaboration Best Practices

Communicate early: Create draft PRs to share progress
Small commits: Make focused, reviewable changes
Descriptive branches: Use clear naming like feature/what-it-does
Regular syncing: Merge main into your branch frequently
Test before pushing: Run tests locally first
Review thoroughly: Take time to understand teammates' code

🎮 Interactive Workflow Simulator

Click "Start New Feature" to begin the simulation...

🌳 Branching and Merging

Creating and Switching Branches

Branches let you work on different features without affecting the main code:

# Create a new branch
git branch feature/new-login-system

# Create and switch to new branch in one command
git checkout -b feature/new-login-system

# Switch between branches
git checkout main
git checkout feature/new-login-system

# List all branches
git branch

Merging Branches

When your feature is complete, merge it back to main:

# Switch to main branch first
git checkout main

# Pull latest changes
git pull origin main

# Merge your feature branch
git merge feature/new-login-system

# Delete the feature branch (optional)
git branch -d feature/new-login-system

Resolving Merge Conflicts

When Git can't automatically merge changes, you'll need to resolve conflicts:

# When merge conflict occurs, Git will show:
# CONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in filename.txt

# 1. Open the conflicted file and look for conflict markers:
# <<<<<<< HEAD
# Your current branch changes
# =======
# Changes from the branch being merged
# >>>>>>> feature/new-login-system

# 2. Edit the file to resolve conflicts
# 3. Stage the resolved file
git add filename.txt

# 4. Complete the merge
git commit

Example Conflict Resolution:

❌ Before (Conflicted)

function loginUser() {
<<<<<<< HEAD
    return authenticateWithDatabase(user);
=======
    return authenticateWithAPI(user);
>>>>>>> feature/new-login-system
}

✅ After (Resolved)

function loginUser() {
    // Use API authentication for better security
    return authenticateWithAPI(user);
}

Advanced GitHub Features

🍴 Forking and Contributing

Contribute to open source projects by forking repositories:

Fork a Repository

Go to the repository on GitHub
Click the "Fork" button in the top-right
Choose your account to fork to
GitHub creates your own copy

Clone Your Fork

# Clone your forked repository
git clone https://github.com/username/project-name.git
cd project-name

# Add the original repository as upstream
git remote add upstream https://github.com/organization/project-name.git

# Verify remotes
git remote -v

Keep Your Fork Synchronized

# Fetch changes from upstream
git fetch upstream

# Switch to main branch
git checkout main

# Merge upstream changes
git merge upstream/main

# Push updates to your fork
git push origin main

🔄 Pull Requests

Propose changes and collaborate through pull requests:

Creating a Pull Request

Push your changes to a branch on GitHub
Go to the repository on GitHub
Click "Compare & pull request"
Write a clear title and description
Click "Create pull request"

Review and Comment

Review code: Check the "Files changed" tab
Add comments: Click line numbers to comment
Approve/Request changes: Use the review options
Merge: Once approved, merge the PR

📋 Issues and Project Management

Track bugs, tasks, and feature requests:

Creating Issues

Go to the "Issues" tab
Click "New issue"
Choose a template (bug, feature, etc.)
Fill in details and assign labels
Submit the issue

Managing Issues

Labels: Categorize with bug, enhancement, etc.
Assignees: Assign to team members
Milestones: Group issues by release
Projects: Use kanban boards

🏷️ Releases and Tags

Version your software with tags and releases:

Creating Tags

# Create an annotated tag
git tag -a v1.0.0 -m "Version 1.0.0 - Initial release"

# Push tag to GitHub
git push origin v1.0.0

# Push all tags
git push --tags

GitHub Releases

Go to "Releases" tab on GitHub
Click "Create a new release"
Choose existing tag or create new one
Add release notes and files
Publish the release

📝 Documentation Essentials

Essential files every repository needs:

README.md

# Project Name
Brief description of what your project does.

## Installation
```bash
git clone https://github.com/username/project.git
cd project
npm install
```

## Usage
Explain how to use your project with examples.

## Contributing
Guidelines for contributors.

## License
This project is licensed under the MIT License.

.gitignore

# Dependencies
node_modules/
*.log

# Build outputs  
dist/
build/

# Environment files
.env
.env.local

# OS generated files
.DS_Store
Thumbs.db

# IDE files
.vscode/
*.swp

Adding a License

Go to your repository on GitHub
Click "Add file" → "Create new file"
Name it "LICENSE"
GitHub will suggest common licenses
Choose MIT, Apache, or GPL as appropriate

🧠Quick Check

What happens when you merge a feature branch into main?

The feature branch changes are combined with main The main branch is deleted All changes are lost

Collaboration & Teamwork

GitHub provides powerful tools for seamless collaboration. From code review to project management, work together efficiently and ship better software.

Pull Requests

Propose changes, discuss code, and review contributions before merging. Maintain code quality through collaborative review.

Issues

Track bugs, feature requests, and tasks. Organize work with labels, assignees, and milestones for clear project visibility.

Projects

Organize work with kanban boards, roadmaps, and custom views. Track progress across repositories and teams.

Actions

Automate testing, deployment, and workflows. Build CI/CD pipelines that run on every commit and pull request.

Collaborative Development Workflow

Modern development teams follow a structured workflow that ensures code quality, facilitates review, and maintains project stability.

Branch

Create feature branch

→

Develop

Make changes & commit

→

Review

Create pull request

→

Merge

Deploy to production

Development Timeline

A typical collaborative workflow from idea to deployment.

1

Create Feature Branch

Start with a clean branch for your feature or fix

$ git checkout -b feature/user-authentication

2

Develop & Test

Write code, add tests, and ensure everything works locally

$ git add .
$ git commit -m "feat: implement user authentication system"

3

Push & Create PR

Share your changes and request review from teammates

$ git push -u origin feature/user-authentication
# Create pull request on GitHub

4

Review & Merge

Team reviews code, discusses changes, and merges when approved

"Looks good! Authentication implementation is clean and well-tested. Approved for merge."

🧠Quick Check

What's the main purpose of a pull request?

To propose and review changes before merging To delete unwanted files To download the repository

Best Practices Workshop

Learn professional development practices through interactive exercises and real-world examples

📝 Commit Message Workshop

Practice writing professional commit messages using our interactive builder:

Commit Type:

Short Description (50 chars max):

0/50 characters

Detailed Description (optional):

Issue Number (optional):

Generated Commit Message:

Fill out the form to see your commit message...

🔒 Security Scanner

Test your code for common security issues. Paste code below and we'll scan for problems:

📁 .gitignore Builder

Build a custom .gitignore file for your project type:

Select Project Types:

Windows PowerShell Python Node.js Visual Studio Database Files

Custom Additions:

Generated .gitignore:

# Select project types above to generate content

🌿 Branch Naming Practice

Practice creating well-named branches for different scenarios:

Scenario:

Loading scenario...

1 / 5

Branch Naming Guide:

feature/description - New features
bugfix/issue-description - Bug fixes
hotfix/critical-issue - Critical fixes
docs/update-readme - Documentation
refactor/cleanup-auth - Code refactoring

✅ Smart Pre-Commit Checklist

Complete the checklist to ensure your code is ready for commit:

Code follows team conventions

Tests pass locally

No sensitive data in commit

Commit message is descriptive

Documentation updated if needed

Breaking changes documented

0 / 6 items completed

GitHub 101 Assessment

Demonstrate your GitHub expertise and earn your certification through this comprehensive 20-question assessment

🚀

The Challenge

Put your GitHub knowledge to the test with 20 comprehensive questions covering everything from basic Git operations to advanced collaboration workflows.

🏆

Success Criteria

80% Minimum passing score (16/20 questions)

20 Questions from 100-question database

∞ Unlimited retakes available

Ready to Begin?

Take your time and think through each question carefully. Test your knowledge of Git and GitHub basics!