If you write code with others, you’ll eventually find yourself using git and GitHub. Here are a few resources for getting started and improving your skills.
Setup
Follow steps 1 & 2 here to set up a GitHub account and install git. Or, if you’re using git with R and RStudio, work your way through the whole guide to setting up Git with R/RStudio.
You also need to configure git with your name and email (use the email for your GitHub account) and set up GitHub authentication (setting up SSH authentication is the most straightforward).
Learning Resources
When and Why to Use Git
- What git is and how it works: Git for Humans, from Alice Bartlett
- Why you should use git: Academic Benefits of using Git, from Mike Croucher
How to Use Git
- Interactive tutorial in your web browser: Intro to Git from Dataquest (request Dataquest subscription access here)
- An interactive tutorial through a downloadable app, starts from the beginning: Git-it
- Introduction with videos aimed at researchers: Get Git!
- Undoing changes in git: Undo possibilities in Git from GitLab (they have other tutorials as well) or Undoing Commits & Changes from Atlassian (they also have other tutorials)
- Video course: Git Essential Training on LinkedIn Learning (free Northwestern access)
Git with Specific Tools
- How to use git with R and RStudio: Happy Git and GitHub for the useR, from Jenny Bryan and Jim Hester; also see our page Using Git and GitHub with R/RStudio
- GitHub and PyCharm: you can add your GitHub account or Personal Access Token
- Jupyter Notebooks with git and Review NB
Reference Resources
- Git Cheat Sheet from Atlassian: a list of common git commands
- Pro Git: the official tutorial in book form, available online; not the place for a beginner to start, but good for reference
- Dangit, Git?!?: a guide to help you when you’ve done something wrong
- Oh, sh**, git!: another guide to help you when something’s gone wrong