Github

In this 45 min. session we look at the GitHub open repository. Although there are others as well that could interact with Git (e.g., BitBucket). But Github is definitely the largest and best known at the moment.

Where Git functions as a versioning system, GitHub acts both as a backup system and as a platform for collaboration. In that sense, it has similar features as Dropbox. There are some noteworthy differences though. * With Github scholars can work on the same project at the same time and later merge their contributions * Github is per default open. Your Github account in that sense is more alike to a LinkedIn profile than to something as Dropbox. * GitHub and Markdown is a killer combination. Because GitHub can hosts all kinds of code and text, it can just as well hosts static websites. In fact, this whole workshop website is a Github repository.

Typically, it is best to see GitHub as an open repository, which makes it ideal to share: * background material (appendices, code, tables) for articles; * educational material for classes; * ideas, as in blogs or general websites.

Requirements

The tool which we will play to explore these ideas practically are GitHub and its graphical user interface from GitHub: GitHub Desktop.

Moreover, you only need a valid GitHub account (see assignment 1).

Outcomes

This session will provide you with the following skills:

• an understanding of how GitHub works and how valuable it could be for your own work;
• be able to push and pull your material to your repository;
• to copy (clone) your or somebody’s else repository;
• to create a website from your repository, and
• do all this (much simpler) with GitHub desktop.

Slides

• html
• pdf

References

GitHub

• Good introduction: GitHub Guides

Additional material