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Lawrence Murithi
Lawrence Murithi

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A Simple beginners Guide to Git & GitHub

#dataengineering #github #git #luxdev

What is Git, GitHub and why version control is important

1. What is Git & GitHub
Git is a distributed version control system (VCS)/tool that helps you save, track, and manage changes in your code. It keeps a history of your work so you can see what changed, when it changed, and who changed it.
Think of Git like a save system for your code, but much better than “Save As”.
GitHub is an online platform where you store Git projects.
GitHub allows you to:

  • Back up your code
  • Share code with others
  • Work on the same project from different computers.

What is version control?
Version control is a system that tracks and manages changes to software code and files over time.

Why is version control important?
Version control helps:

  • Track changes in your work
  • Go back to an older version if something breaks
  • Work safely without fear of losing files
  • Collaborate with other people on the same project

2. Set Up the Git & GitHub Environments
Step 1: Create a GitHub Account
Sign up on GitHub using you credentials.

Step 2: Install Git
Download Git.
Install the application using the downloaded file.
Open Git Bash (Windows) or Terminal (Mac/Linux).
Configure your identity(Name and Email) to help Git Identify who is making the changes any time the changes are made.
NB: Use the email address used to sign up on GitHub.

git config -global user.name "your name"
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git config -global user.email "youremail@example.com
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Check to ensure your configuration has been set up.

git config -global --list
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Step 3: Connect Git to Your GitHub Account
One of the easiest ways to connect your Git to your GitHub Account is using an SSH key which provides(digital identity) a secure password-less way to connect both to avoid the need for inputing a password every time.
To generate the SSH key on GitBash, run the command:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "youremail@example.com"
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Now, you need to generate an agent; a helper program that holds your key in memory.

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
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Add the key generated to the agent.

ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
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Lastly, print the public key and use it to connect your GitHub account.

cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
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Copy the key, navigate to the SSH and GHG keys on settings in you GitHub account and add a new SSH key.

SSH key
Finally, authenticate your GitHub account in Git by running this command:

ssh -T git@github.com
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3. Set up a Repository in GitHub and Project folder in Git

  • Create a repository on GitHub
  • Create a project folder in Git 
mkdir Myproject
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  • Initialize Git in your project. Tells Git to start tracking this project. 
git init
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  • Add files in your folder. Tells Git which files to track. 
git add
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  • Save changes (commit) 
git commit -m "your message"
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4. Connect your project to GitHub)

git remote add origin https://github.com/yourusername/repositoryname.git
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  • Push code to GitHub (send code from your computer to GitHub) Pushing refers to uploading local commits to a remote server to make your code accessible to others. 
git push -u origin main
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  • Pull code from GitHub (send code from GitHub to your computer). 
git clone https://github.com/username/repositoryname.git

git pull origin main
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clone creates/downloads a new copy on your local computer while pull updates your local files with any changes made.

  • Check the status of your file. 
git status
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Checking status shows:

  1. Modified files
  2. New files
  3. Files ready to be committed

Summary Cheatsheet
Cheat sheet

Conclusion
Git, GitHub, and version control help developers and data professionals manage their work in a clear and organized way. While Git allows users to track changes, save progress through commits, and return to earlier versions when needed, GitHub provides an online platform to store projects, share code, and collaborate with others. Together, they reduce the risk of losing work, make teamwork easier, and support professional development by keeping code history clear and well documented.

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