Getting started with GitHub

We will largely be using GitHub as it is the go-to platform for open-source projects. It is important to create a brand new account or log in to your existing account to ensure access.

GitHub is free and all the things we will learn are interchangeable with other services such as GitLab and BitBucket. GitHub is the UpLinkd Group preferred platform for building a portfolio as it allows employers to see your code contributions.

Key Takeaways

• GitHub is the preferred platform for open-source projects and building a portfolio as it allows employers to see your code contributions.
• Alternative platforms such as GitLab and BitBucket are also available and have similar features to GitHub.
• It is important to create a GitHub account and log in to access the platform and start building your portfolio.

GitHub: The Basics

Creating a GitHub Account

To get started with GitHub, we need to create an account. GitHub is free to use, and all we need is a username, email address, and password. To create an account, we can go to github.com and click on the "Sign up" button. Once we're there, we can enter our information and select a free plan.

“It's important to note that there are other services like GitLab and Bitbucket that we can use instead of GitHub - but for the purposes of this course, we'll be using GitHub.”

– CTO, UpLinkd Group

Signing In to GitHub

Once we have created our account, we can sign in to GitHub by going to github.com and clicking on the "Sign in" button. We'll need to enter our username and password to access our account.

When we sign in to GitHub, we'll see our dashboard which displays our activity feed. If we're new to GitHub our feed will be empty but as we start to use the platform we will see our activity displayed here.

GitHub is a great place to showcase work as developers. Employers often look at GitHub accounts to see our coding skills so it's important to keep our account up to date and active.

We can use GitHub to create repositories, contribute to open-source projects and collaborate with other developers. Overall, GitHub is a powerful tool for developers and creating an account is the first step in getting started with this platform.

Alternative Platforms

GitLab

If you prefer a more private platform then GitLab is a great alternative to GitHub. Many businesses use GitLab because it comes with a few nicer features that GitHub makes you pay for as a corporation not as an individual. GitLab also has a free plan that includes unlimited public and private repositories, continuous integration and more.

One of the biggest advantages of GitLab is that it allows you to host your code on your own servers which means you have complete control over your data. This is a great option for those who are concerned about data privacy and security.

GitLab also offers a lot of customization options including the ability to customize the look and feel of your projects.

Bitbucket

Bitbucket is another great alternative to GitHub. It's a lesser-known Git service but it's also a really good one. Bitbucket offers a free plan that includes unlimited private repositories for up to five users. If you need more users or more features you can upgrade to one of their paid plans.

One of the biggest advantages of Bitbucket is that it integrates seamlessly with other Atlassian products such as Jira and Confluence. This makes it a great option for teams that are already using Atlassian products. Bitbucket also offers great collaboration features including pull requests, code reviews, and more.

In conclusion, while GitHub is the most popular Git service there are other great alternatives out there such as GitLab and Bitbucket. Depending on your needs and preferences one of these platforms may be a better fit for you.

Why Use GitHub

We are going to largely be using GitHub in this course because it is a widely used platform where you can find all sorts of open-source projects. GitHub is absolutely free and offers many features that are useful for developers. It is also important to note that everything we will be learning in this course is completely interchangeable with GitLab and Bitbucket - two other popular version control platforms.

GitHub is a great platform for developers to showcase their work and build a portfolio. It allows you to highlight your code and contributions to open-source projects. Future employers often look at a developer's GitHub account to get a sense of their coding skills and experience.

GitHub offers many useful features such as pull requests, code reviews, and issue tracking. These features make it easier for teams to collaborate on projects and ensure that the code is of high quality. GitHub also integrates with many other tools that developers use such as continuous integration and deployment services.

Overall, GitHub is a powerful tool for developers that offers many benefits. We highly recommend using it for version control and collaboration on projects.

Building a Portfolio with GitHub

GitHub is an excellent platform for building a portfolio as a developer. Employers are more interested in seeing your code than your website design and GitHub is the perfect place to showcase your coding skills.

When building a portfolio with GitHub, it's essential to keep your profile up-to-date with your latest projects and contributions. Make sure to include a brief description of each project and highlight the skills you used to complete them.

Another great feature of GitHub is the ability to collaborate with other developers on open-source projects. Contributing to these projects not only helps you improve your coding skills, but it also shows potential employers that you can work well in a team.

One thing to keep in mind when building a portfolio with GitHub is to make sure your code is well-documented and easy to understand. This will help others who may want to use or contribute to your projects, and it will also show employers that you can write clean and organized code.

“Building a portfolio with GitHub is an excellent way to showcase your coding skills and work on open-source projects.”

– CTO, UpLinkd Group

With a bit of effort and dedication, you can create a portfolio that will impress potential employers and help you land your dream job as a developer.