# What is Git-Hub? Git-Hub is the goto git repository hosting service for what seems like everyone in the tech industry. While there are other options with various different features that may make certain things faster, easier or more efficient, what has propelled Git-Hub to the top is its forking feature. Forking is the practice of taking an entire code repository and copying it line for line. Forking can be used to experiment with a project without causing any problems with the main code, or it can be used to build a new project off of the current code. In the cryptocurrency space it is more widely used for the later. https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jlord/git-it/master/ghcc.png # How to Git it in Below are the steps that I have taken in order to get familiar with Git-Hub offered as a simplified compilation of multiple tutorials teaching the basics of how to use Git-Hub most effectively. As the "Low Skill NOOB to Steem Dev" project progresses there may be additional sections added here. ## What to Install You will need this [app](https://github.com/jlord/git-it-electron), Git-it as well as a text editor. You'll also of course need Git and the first challenge in Git-it helps you get that set up. If you want to get a head start, go for it! You'll continue to use Git and your text editor throughout your bright social coding future. ### Git We recommend installing GitHub Desktop (free) because it installs Git in the most consistent way across supported operating systems (Windows and Mac). We won't use the app itself in the challenges (but it is really useful once you get going in Git!), just the Git that it install for you. > Note—If you're using Windows, you should use the Git Shell app as your terminal—it is installed with GitHub Desktop. In Mac and Linux you can use the app Terminal, which is already on your computer. ### Text Editor Atom is a great text editor (also free) and it is built on Electron.js just like Git-it. [Visit the website](https://atom.io) and download the version for your operating system. ### Git-it You can view the [releases](https://github.com/jlord/git-it-electron/releases) section of this repository to find the download for your operating system. Click to download your version. Once it has downloaded to your default Downloads directory, unzip the folder and run the Git-it executable. The executables for Mac, Windows and Linux: https://cloud.githubusercontent.com/assets/1305617/14696588/2b10abf8-0731-11e6-945e-f3d57114bce9.png * Mac Right (control) click the Git-it icon, select Open and then Open again. You can drag the icon into your Applications directory if you want, but it's not required. If needed, more [detailed installation instructions](https://github.com/jlord/git-it-electron/issues/121#issue-149747488) can be found in this issue. * Windows Double-click the executable. * Linux Double-click the executable. * If the app isn't running, [see this issue](https://github.com/jlord/git-it-electron/issues/182). ## Get Started! Open Git-it and click the button to begin the first challenge. Have your terminal and text editor open, too. Follow along with the instructions in each challenge and use the terminal or editor as instructed. When you've completed the steps in a challenge click 'Verify'. Depending on the challenge you may need to also select the folder you did your work in for Git-it to verify. ### Tips For Getting Started Code snippets often times look like `$ some code-stuff --here`. The dollar sign identifies the line as one a user would enter into the command line, but you don't actually include it when you type it into terminal. In this case, you'd actually just type `some code-stuff --here`. Variables are indicated by `` in code snippets. When you actually use the line of code, replace ``, with your variable. For instance to make a new folder in terminal the format is, `mkdir `, so if you wanted to make a folder named 'octocat', you'd type: `mkdir octocat`. Command line, terminal and bash all basically mean the same thing: the MS-DOS, Doogie Howser looking screen full of words and numbers. It's awesomely powerful and allows you to control your computer with text commands. https://github.com/jlord/git-it-electron # Advanced Git-Hub Practice One of the major things that separates the top 25% of developers on Git-Hub from the bottom 25% is proper documentation that allows other to easily work with you. If you can master this then you're already ahead of the curve, but other than that the only real way to get any better at Git-Hub is to start using Git-Hub, which will also improves your overall programming skills.