Setting Up GitHub

Creating a GitHub Account

1. Open GitHub: Visit GitHub.
2. Sign Up: Click on “Sign up” and follow the instructions to create a new account. You will need to provide a username, email address, and password.
3. Verify Email: GitHub will send a verification email. Click the link in the email to verify your account.

Creating a GitHub account is straightforward and free. GitHub offers additional features through its paid plans, but the free plan provides sufficient functionality for most users.

Creating a Repository

Step 1. New Repository: Once logged in, click on the “+” icon in the top-right corner and select “New repository”.

Step 2. Repository Details: Provide a name for your repository and an optional description. Choose between public or private visibility.

Step 3. Initialize Repository: You can initialize the repository with a README file, .gitignore file, and choose a license if needed.

Step 4. Create Repository: Click on “Create repository”.

Initializing the repository with a README file is a good practice. The README provides an overview of your project and instructions on how to use it. Adding a .gitignore file helps in excluding unnecessary files from being tracked by Git.

Hosting a Website and Deploying Files

Step 1. GitHub Pages: Go to the settings of your repository and scroll down to the “GitHub Pages” section.

Step 2. Source: Under “Source”, select the branch you want to deploy (usually “main” or “gh-pages”).

Step 3. Theme: Choose a theme if you want to use one of GitHub’s pre-built themes.

Step 4. Save: Click “Save” to deploy the site.

Your site will be available at https://<username>.github.io/<repository-name>.

GitHub Pages is a free service that allows you to host static websites directly from your GitHub repository. It’s an excellent option for hosting project documentation, portfolios, or simple websites.

Git is a powerful version control system that helps developers manage and track changes in their codebase. Sometimes, you might need to force push changes to a repository to overwrite previous commits. This article will guide you through creating a GitHub account, setting up a repository, deploying a website, and understanding how to force push in Git. Additionally, we’ll cover tips for using GitHub efficiently, provide FAQs, and conclude with best practices.