Git Basics and Single-Person Workflow

  • Git is a version control system that tracks changes to files over time.
  • GitHub hosts git repositories in the cloud and adds collaboration features.
  • The core workflow is: pull → edit → commit → push.
  • Good commits are small, focused, and have clear messages.
  • Use .gitignore to keep unwanted files out of your repository.

Collaboration, Branching and Pull Requests

  • Git can auto-merge changes to different parts of a text-based file.
  • A merge conflict occurs when the same lines are changed by two people.
  • The main branch typically represents the stable version of the project.
  • Branches let you work in parallel and independently without affecting main.
  • Pull requests provide a review and discussion workflow before merging branches.

Problems, Safety, and GitHub Hygiene

  • Git does not track empty directories — use .gitkeep as a placeholder.
  • Use Discard changes for uncommitted edits and Revert for commits.
  • Never commit secrets; rotate any that are accidentally pushed.
  • Protected branches enforce a pull request workflow.
  • Issues help organise work; use clear titles, descriptions, and labels.

Publishing and Automation

  • GitHub Pages publishes a website directly from your repository.
  • Tags mark specific commits; releases add notes and downloadable archives.
  • Zenodo can archive GitHub releases and assign DOIs for academic citation.
  • GitHub Actions automate tasks (testing, building, checking) triggered by repository events.
  • A workflow is a YAML file in .github/workflows/ that defines automated jobs.