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• These trainings materials will provide you with an introduction to the use of Git for managing analysis scripts and data.

  • In these materials, we will discuss
  • Why to use version controlling for your research data
  • The installation of Git and the use of git commands via the terminal/console for version controlling projects.
  • The use of Github for version controlling of projects and collaborative projects, as well as the ZHAW Github page.
  • The installation and use of Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) for interfacing with Git/Github in a more intuitive way (using GitHub Desktop).

• These materials are meant to be used as in interactive training manual, where you learn while practicing along the materials.

• On request, the ZSF can also organize a live demonstration/introduction along the materials. Contact researchdata@zhaw.ch to arrange such an introduction.

Table of contents

• 1: The basics of version controlling: definitions, history, importance, and guidelines
  • 1.1: What are version controlling, Git, and GitHub
  • 1.2: When and how to use Git/GitHub: Guidelines
• 2: Installing and setting up Git, Github, and Github Desktop
  • 2.1: Installing and configuring Git
    • 2.1.1: Installation on Windows computers
    • 2.1.2: Installation on Linux computers
    • 2.1.3: Installation on Mac computers
    • 2.1.4: Configuring Git
  • 2.2: Installing GitHub Desktop
    • 2.2.1: Installing GitHub Desktop on ZHAW devices
    • 2.2.2: Installing GitHub Desktop on a personal Windows device or a Mac device
    • 2.2.3: Installing GitHub Desktop on Linux devices
  • 2.3: Setting up a personal or ZHAW GitHub account
    • 2.3.1: Setting up a personal GitHub account
    • 2.3.2: Setting up your ZHAW GitHub account
• 3: Using Git and (using the command line terminal powershell)
  • 3.1: Creating a new repository
  • 3.2: Checking the status of your repository
  • 3.3: Staging a file/files in your repository
  • 3.4: Creating a commit - new version of the project
  • 3.5: Checking the project history/information: log and show
  • 3.6: Reverting changes to the code: checkout and revert
  • 3.7: Git object structure, and looking at file changes
  • 3.8: Creating and managing branches
    • 3.8.1: Git branches
    • 3.8.2: Creating a Git branch
    • 3.8.3: Managing and merging branches
    • 3.8.4: Deleting a branch
    • 3.8.5: Merge conflicts
  • 3.9: Tags
  • 3.10: Rebase, blame, and diff: managing commits
    • 3.10.1: Rebase
    • 3.10.2: Blame
    • 3.10.3: Diff
  • 3.11: Excluding files from version control: .gitignore
  • 3.12: Interacting with remote repositories
    • 3.12.1: Setting up SSH login
    • 3.12.2: Adding your local repository to GitHub:
    • 3.12.3: Interacting with the remote repository
      • 3.12.3.1: Looking at the remote repository
      • 3.12.3.2: Cloning a repository
      • 3.12.3.3: Updating local and remote repositories
  • 3.13: Further information
• 4: Using GitHub Desktop for version controlling your projects
  • 4.1: Setting up GitHub Desktop
  • 4.2: Creating or opening repositories (init/clone)
    • 4.2.1: Create a new repository (init)
    • 4.2.2: Opening an online repository (clone)
    • 4.2.3: Opening a local repository
  • 4.3: Overview of repository page
  • 4.4: Making and committing changes to a repository
  • 4.5: Reverting and amending commits
    • 4.5.1: Reverting commits
    • 4.5.2: Amending commits
  • 4.6: Branch operations
    • 4.6.1: Creating a new branch
    • 4.6.2: Switching branches
    • 4.6.3: Comparing and merging branches
    • 4.6.4: Resolving merge conflicts
    • 4.6.5: Deleting branches
    • 4.6.6: Pull requests
  • 4.7: Creating forks
    • 4.7.1: Creating a fork on GitHub
    • 4.7.2: Creating a fork on GitHub Desktop