Introduction to Git and GitHub

Session - Prework for a computer

Zoë Turner

Check Git

Check if Git is already installed. Run the following in the Terminal (not the RStudio Console!)

which git

Check the version of your Git

git --version

If asked to install the Xcode command line tools, say yes! Right click to copy on a Terminal line

Downloading Git

Download the installer from https://git-scm.com/downloads
Run keeping all the default settings.

Installer hangs at 100%

If the installer hangs with the progress bar at 100%, close the installer with Task Manager (press Ctrl + Alt + Delete;
select Task Manager;
find Git for Windows installer and close).

Connecting RStudio to Git

Open RStudio
In the menus go to Tools > Global Options > Git/SVN
Check RStudio has found Git under “Git executable:”

You may need to click Browse and find the Git executable

Where to find the git.exe

It may be under C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Programs\Git\ - remember if file extensions are hidden it will show as git rather than git.exe.
Restart RStudio before trying to use git.

GitHub

Suggest to incorporate your actual name/reuse your username from other contexts (like Social Media)
Pick a username you will be comfortable revealing to your boss
Shorter is better
Be as unique as possible in as few characters as possible
Make it timeless
Avoid words laden with special meaning in programming
Use all lower case letters

Think about security

Particularly for GitHub and your own account safety

Set up 2FA (two-factor authentication) using an app or save the generated code

Install packages

The following packages are required for the course:

install.packages("gert")
install.packages("usethis")
install.packages("gitcreds")

End session

Acknowledgements

These slides were designed by Mine Çetinkaya-Rundel and Emma Rand for the Forwards Package development module course

Your first package and Setting up your system