Do I need to use the terminal for Git?

The terminal is the standard way and the one employers expect you to know. But if the terminal feels overwhelming, start with GitHub Desktop (a visual app). It does the same things with buttons instead of commands. Learn the terminal commands over time.

Should I push class assignments to GitHub?

Yes, unless your university policy forbids sharing coursework publicly. If it does, create private repositories. Either way, the habit of committing your work to Git builds a track record and protects you from losing files.

What if I push something embarrassing?

Everyone starts somewhere. Your first commits will be messy. That is fine. Employers who check GitHub profiles expect early projects to be simple. What they look for is consistency: are you pushing code regularly? Are your later projects better than your early ones? Growth matters more than perfection.

Git and GitHub for students: your first repo without the jargon | Campus

Git and GitHub for students: your first repo without the jargon

Install Git, create a GitHub account, make a folder for your project, run git init, write some code, commit it, and push it to GitHub. That is the entire process. You do not need to understand branches, merges, or rebases yet. Just get your code visible on the internet. Everything else you learn as you need it.

What Git and GitHub are, in plain terms

Git is a tool that tracks changes to your files. Every time you save a version of your project (called a "commit"), Git remembers what changed. If you break something, you can go back to a version that worked.

GitHub is a website where you store your Git projects so other people (and future employers) can see them. Think of Git as the tool on your laptop. GitHub is the place on the internet where your work lives.

Together, they solve two problems: losing your work (Git keeps every version) and proving your work (GitHub makes it visible). Both are free.

Your degree probably does not teach this. Git is one of the biggest gaps in Kenyan CS programmes. Learning it in first year puts you ahead of classmates who discover it in third year.

Setting up Git and GitHub in ten minutes

Step 1: Install Git. On Windows, download Git from git-scm.com and install it. On Mac, open Terminal and type git --version; it will prompt you to install if it is not there. On Linux, run sudo apt install git.

Step 2: Set your name and email. Open your terminal and run:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"

git config --global user.email "your@email.com"

Use the same email you will use for GitHub.

Step 3: Create a GitHub account. Go to github.com and sign up. Pick a username that is professional. This profile will be on your CV. "coder_boi_254" is not what you want an employer to see.

Step 4: Done. You are set up. Everything else happens per project.

Creating your first repo and pushing code

Step 1: Create a project folder. On your laptop, create a folder for your project. Put your code files in it. Even a single HTML file counts.

Step 2: Initialise Git. Open a terminal in that folder and run git init. This tells Git to start tracking this folder.

Step 3: Add your files. Run git add . (the dot means "everything in this folder"). This stages your files for the next commit.

Step 4: Commit. Run git commit -m "first commit". This saves a snapshot of your project with a short description.

Step 5: Create a repo on GitHub. Go to github.com, click "New repository," give it a name (same as your folder), and create it. GitHub will show you instructions. Copy the two lines that start with git remote add and git push.

Step 6: Push. Paste and run those two lines in your terminal. Your code is now on GitHub. Visit the repo URL and see it live.

That is it. Six steps. Your first project is now visible to anyone with the link, including future employers.

What to learn next, and what to skip for now

Learn next:

How to commit regularly (after each meaningful change, not once a month).
How to write useful commit messages ("add login form" instead of "update").
How to create a README file that explains what your project does.

Skip for now:

Branches and merging. You need these when working with a team. For solo projects, committing to the main branch is fine.
Rebasing, cherry-picking, and advanced Git operations. These solve problems you do not have yet.
GitHub Actions, CI/CD, and automation. Useful later, distracting now.

The goal in first year is simple: every project you build goes on GitHub. Every commit adds to your public track record. By the time you apply for your first internship, your GitHub profile tells a story that your CV alone cannot.

What to do this week

Install Git and create a GitHub account today if you do not have them.
Pick one existing project (even a class assignment) and push it to GitHub using the six steps above.
Add a README.md file to the repo explaining what the project does in two or three sentences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to use the terminal for Git?: The terminal is the standard way and the one employers expect you to know. But if the terminal feels overwhelming, start with GitHub Desktop (a visual app). It does the same things with buttons instead of commands. Learn the terminal commands over time.
Should I push class assignments to GitHub?: Yes, unless your university policy forbids sharing coursework publicly. If it does, create private repositories. Either way, the habit of committing your work to Git builds a track record and protects you from losing files.
What if I push something embarrassing?: Everyone starts somewhere. Your first commits will be messy. That is fine. Employers who check GitHub profiles expect early projects to be simple. What they look for is consistency: are you pushing code regularly? Are your later projects better than your early ones? Growth matters more than perfection.