Excited about Hacktoberfest but feeling intimidated by Git? Let's break down the essentials and focus on two key commands that'll get you contributing in no time!

Git Terms Demystified:

Repository (Repo): Your project's home base. It's where all your files and their history live.
Clone: Creating a local copy of a repo. It's like downloading the entire project to your machine.
Branch: A separate line of development. Think of it as a copy of your project where you can experiment safely.
Commit: Saving a snapshot of your changes. It's like creating a checkpoint in your project's history.
Pull Request: Your way of saying, "Hey, I've made some changes. Can you review and include them?"

3 Essential Commands:

git clone

This command creates a local copy of a repository on your machine. It's your starting point for contributing to any project.

How to use it:

git clone https://github.com/username/repository.git

This downloads the entire repo to your local machine.

Pro tip: After cloning, check out a new branch before making changes. You can create a new branch with the git branch command. To learn more about this command checkout this tutorial on GitKraken.

git pull

This command is your sync button. grabs all the latest changes others have made and updates your local copy. It's like hitting "refresh" on your project.

How to use it:

git pull origin main

Git is reaching out to the main repository and grab any changes.

Pro tip: Always pull before you start working to ensure you have the latest version!

git push

After making changes locally, use this to send them back to the remote repo.

How to use it:

git push origin your-branch-name

Remember: Push your changes to a new branch, not directly to main, especially in open-source projects!

Quick Start for Hacktoberfest:

Before you start, remember: Check a project's CONTRIBUTING.md file and look for open issues labeled "hacktoberfest" or "good first issue". These will give you the structure you need to get started and ensure your contribution aligns with the project's needs.

Fork a repo you want to contribute to
Clone your fork: git clone [URL of your fork]
Create a new branch: git checkout -b my-contribution
Make your changes and commit them
Pull any new changes: git pull origin main
Push your branch: git push origin my-contribution
Go to GitHub and create a Pull Request

What open-source project are you excited to contribute to this Hacktoberfest?

For 4 quick tips for quality contributions check out this blog post.

For 7 more quick tips to Participate in Hacktoberfest check out this post.

Git Essentials for Non-Engineers: 5 Key Terms and 3 Commands to Help You Contribute this Hacktoberfest

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