For those who have difficulty using Git, we have the solution for you! You can download GitHub Desktop on your Windows computer!
Git and GitHub are essential tools for developers. However, the learning curve of adapting git version control to your daily workflow can be daunting at first. Beginner developers are often frustrated by the extensive list of commands required to use git .
Luckily, GitHub Desktop lets you work with Git through an interactive user interface that doesn't require any commands. Read on as we explain what GitHub Desktop and how to get the most out of it on a Windows.
What is GitHub Desktop?;
GitHub Desktop is an easy-to-use desktop application that allows users to work with Git without the hassle of the command line. GitHub Desktop is an open source (i.e., free to use) tool built on the efforts of the developer community to simplify developer workflow and improve team collaboration.
See also: GitHub: Allows everyone to privately report vulnerabilities
If you don't like using Git via the command line, you'll find GitHub Desktop to be a valuable tool that makes your life easier. Obviously, GitHub Desktop isn't as powerful as using git from the command line, but it can still help you accomplish a lot.
You can clone remote repositories, make commits, work on multiple branches, and even push code through GitHub Desktop without writing a single Git.
Once you've set up GitHub Desktop with a repository, you can create issues and pull requests. You can even review pull requests your team makes directly from within GitHub Desktop. Overall, GitHub Desktop helps you adopt Git best practices through an easy-to-use interface, allowing you to take version control of your projects to the next level.
How to install GitHub Desktop;
GitHub Desktop is free and available for Windows, macOS and Ubuntu,. You can quickly install GitHub Desktop on Windows 10 and Windows 11 as follows:
From your browser, go to the official GitHub Desktop download page . Select the “ Download for Windows ” button to start the download, or alternatively, you can also download the MSI installer file for Windows . Once the installation is complete, double-click the GitHub Desktop installation file (the file you downloaded should be in your “Downloads” folder). GitHub Desktop will launch automatically once it’s ready. Now that you’ve successfully installed GitHub Desktop on your computer, the next step is to sign in using your GitHub account .
How to Sign in to GitHub Desktop
To start using GitHub Desktop on your projects on Windows, you'll first need to authenticate and sign in with your GitHub. If you don't have a GitHub, sign up to get started.
To add an existing GitHub to GitHub Desktop:
- Launch GitHub Desktop from the Start, search for GitHub Desktop , and select it.
- Within GitHub Desktop, go to File > Options > Accounts.
- Select the Sign in based on your account type (GitHub.com for regular users and GitHub Enterprise for corporate/work accounts).
- When prompted, complete the sign-in process in browser . Return to the Accounts options page to confirm your sign-in.
How to Clone a Repository
GitHub Desktop allows you to quickly clone a GitHub repository without using the Windows command line. You can clone a project if you have been added as a collaborator or if it is available as a public repository. If you have not already cloned a project repository, you can do so as follows:
- Launch GitHub Desktop and click the “Current Repository” in the left pane.
- Click the “Add” , then select “Clone Repository”.
- To clone a repository associated with your logged in account, select “GitHub.com” or “GitHub Enterprise” depending on your account type.
- Scroll to find the repository you want to clone and update the saved location, if necessary.
- Once you are ready, select “Clone” to start cloning the project.
- The project should then be accessible within the saved directory.
How to create a Branch in GitHub Desktop
Branches are essential to the Git and allow you to work on a copy of the master codebase. This ensures that experimental and untrusted code does not affect the production version of the codebase. Developers can play around freely in their isolated branch and push their code once it is tested.
To create a branch in GitHub Desktop on Windows:
- Launch the GitHub Desktop app from the Start menu .
- Select the Current Repository and select the project you want to work on.
- Then, select the Current Branch and click New Branch.
- Enter a name for the branch and select Create Branch to confirm your selection.
- To transfer your current working changes to the new branch, select the Bring My Changes To.
- Similarly, if you want to switch to a different branch, select the “Current branch” drop-down menu and select the name of the branch you want to switch to.
How to Commit with GitHub Desktop
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Now that you've learned how to set up your project and create branches in GitHub Desktop, let's see how you can commit code to your branch.
- Open the cloned GitHub repo in your preferred code editor.
- From GitHub Desktop on Windows , navigate to the branch you want to work on.
- Make the necessary changes to your code and save the files.
- Return to GitHub Desktop and you should see the changes you made in the left pane.
- Review your changes and when you're ready, enter a message with your commit in the text box in the left pane.
- Select the “Commit to” to confirm your changes and commit the code to your branch.
How to Push Code
After you commit the code to your branch, the next step is to push your changes to GitHub. You can then create a pull request and merge your changes into the main or master branch.
To push code to GitHub and create a new pull request, select the required project repository and branch in GitHub Desktop. Then, select the “Publish Branch” or press the shortcut key Ctrl + P.
Source: makeuseof.com
