Mastering GitHub: How to use github source code for projects in 2023

Introduction:

If you are a computer science student then it is hard to believe that you didn’t heard about GitHub. Many students are familiar with what GitHub is but most of the student don’t know how to use GitHub properly? How to download code and use it for their projects? What are the shortcuts that student should know while using GitHub? GitHub has emerged as one of the most popular platforms for collaboration and version control in software development.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced developer, understanding how to use GitHub effectively is crucial for efficient collaboration and project management. This article aims to provide a comprehensive guide to help you harness the power of GitHub and make the most out of its features.

Setting Up a Repository:

Creating a repository is the first step to start using GitHub. Follow these guidelines to set up a repository effectively:

• Choose a descriptive and meaningful name for your repository.
• Add a concise and informative description to highlight the purpose and scope of your project.
• Consider initializing the repository with a README file to provide essential information about your project.

Branching and Version Control:

GitHub’s branching and version control capabilities are key to managing changes in your project effectively. Here’s how to make the most of these features:

• Create a new branch for each new feature or bug fix to isolate changes from the main codebase.
• Use meaningful and descriptive branch names to easily identify their purpose.
• Regularly commit changes to your branch, accompanied by clear and concise commit messages.
• Make use of pull requests to review, discuss, and merge code changes from one branch to another.
• Take advantage of GitHub’s built-in version control system to roll back to previous versions if needed.

Collaboration and Teamwork:

GitHub provides several features to facilitate collaboration among team members. Consider the following practices to enhance teamwork:

• Invite collaborators to your repository to work together on projects.
• Utilize issue tracking to manage tasks, bugs, and feature requests effectively.
• Clearly define issue templates and guidelines to streamline the issue creation process.
• Use labels, milestones, and assignees to organize and prioritize issues.
• Enable discussions to foster communication, share ideas, and seek feedback within your team.

Documentation and Wikis:

GitHub offers built-in tools for documentation and wikis to provide comprehensive information about your project. Follow these tips to create effective documentation:

• Maintain a well-organized and up-to-date README file as the entry point to your project.
• Use Markdown formatting to add headings, lists, code snippets, and links for better readability.
• Leverage GitHub Pages to host a dedicated website for your project’s documentation.
• Encourage contribution to the documentation by enabling pull requests specifically for documentation updates.
• Utilize the wiki feature to create supplementary documentation, FAQs, or user guides.

Automation and Continuous Integration:

GitHub provides integration with various automation tools and services to streamline development workflows. Consider the following automation practices:

• Utilize GitHub Actions or other CI/CD tools to automate the build, test, and deployment processes.
• Set up status checks to enforce code quality, code coverage, and other predefined criteria before merging pull requests.
• Use code review tools or plugins to analyze and suggest improvements in your codebase.
• Leverage GitHub’s project boards to visualize and track the progress of tasks or milestones.
• Explore the vast GitHub Marketplace to find additional tools and integrations that suit your project’s needs.

Also Read: DBA Interview Questions in 2023

Shortcuts :

Here are some of the commonly used GitHub shortcuts:

• Global Shortcuts:
  • Press “?” to open the list of available keyboard shortcuts.
  • Press “s” to focus the search bar.
  • Press “g” followed by “c” to go to the main dashboard.
  • Press “g” followed by “n” to go to the notifications page.
  • Press “g” followed by “p” to go to your profile page.

• Repository Shortcuts:
  • Press “t” to quickly activate the file finder for searching files in the repository.
  • Press “w” to quickly switch branches.
  • Press “y” to open the issue or pull request list.
  • Press “l” to open the issue or pull request label selector.
  • Press “b” to open the branch selector.

• Code Navigation Shortcuts:
  • Press “t” to activate the file finder when viewing a file.
  • Press “l” to activate the blame view, which shows who last modified each line of code.
  • Press “w” to switch between the “Watch” and “Unwatch” status of a repository.
  • Press “e” to edit the file you are currently viewing.
  • Press “y” to open the issue or pull request list.

• Pull Request Shortcuts:
  • Press “c” to open a new comment on a pull request.
  • Press “r” to reply to a comment on a pull request.
  • Press “m” to open the pull request’s conversation view.
  • Press “l” to open the pull request’s file changes view.
  • Press “a” to add or remove an assignee from a pull request.

• Issue Shortcuts:
  • Press “c” to open a new comment on an issue.
  • Press “r” to reply to a comment on an issue.
  • Press “l” to open the issue’s conversation view.
  • Press “a” to add or remove an assignee from an issue.
  • Press “i” to mark an issue as closed or open.

To edit GitHub code and use it for your project, follow these steps:

Fork the Repository:

• Visit the GitHub repository that contains the code you want to edit.
• Click on the “Fork” button at the top right corner of the repository page.
• This will create a copy of the repository under your GitHub account.

Clone the Repository:

• Go to your forked repository on GitHub.
• Click on the green “Code” button and copy the repository’s URL.
• Open a terminal or Git Bash on your local machine.
• Use the git clone command followed by the repository URL to clone the repository to your local machine.

git clone <repository URL>

Make Code Changes:

• Open the cloned repository in your preferred code editor.
• Make the necessary changes to the code files according to your project requirements.
• Save the changes after you have made the desired modifications.

Commit and Push the Changes:

• In the terminal or Git Bash, navigate to the cloned repository’s directory.
• Use the git status command to see the modified files.
• Use the git add command followed by the file name or . to stage the changes for commit.

git add OR git add

• Use the git commit command to commit the changes with a descriptive commit message.

git commit -m "Your commit message"

• Finally, use the git push command to push the changes to your forked repository on GitHub.

git push

Create a Pull Request:

• Go to your forked repository on GitHub.
• You should see a notification banner indicating that you have recently pushed changes.
• Click on the “Compare & pull request” button next to the notification banner.
• Provide a descriptive title and additional information about the changes made in the pull request.
• Click on the “Create pull request” button to submit the pull request.

Review and Merge:

• The original repository’s owner or project maintainers will review your pull request.
• They may provide feedback, suggest changes, or ask questions.
• Engage in the discussion and make further modifications if required.
• Once the changes have been reviewed and approved, the owner or maintainers will merge your pull request into the main repository.

After the pull request is merged, the changes you made will become part of the project. You can continue working on the project, create new branches, or contribute to other parts of the codebase by following the same process. Remember to regularly sync your forked repository with the original repository to stay up to date with any changes made by other contributors.

Conclusion:

Effectively utilizing GitHub can greatly enhance collaboration, version control, and project management within software development teams. By following the guidelines presented in this article, you can harness the power of GitHub to streamline your workflows, improve code quality, and foster effective teamwork. With continuous practice and exploration of GitHub’s features, you will become proficient in leveraging this powerful platform to its fullest potential

Github Website: Click here

Github Documentation: Click here

This blog is contributed by Mohit Saraf  You can contribute us by just submitting your articles. Contact Us Now