GitHub Desktop startup post

[aassuied-ps]

Quick guide to most basic usage (clone, commit, push, pr).

[RitaPecuch]

Here is the GitHub Desktop process followed by my team members that are more comfortable with UI than Git Bash:

Configure GitHub Desktop (using HTTPS authentication):

The first time GitHub Desktop is launched, you will need to authenticate your account. Open the application and select “Sign in to GitHub.com”.
Select “Authorize desktop”.
Enter your GitHub password and select “Confirm”.
In the pop-up window, select “Open GitHubDesktop.exe”
You will be directed back to GitHub Desktop. Select “Use my GitHub account name and email address”, then select “Finish”.

Cloning repository from GitHub (assuming HTTPS authentication already set up):

From the home screen, select “Clone a repository from the Internet”.
Select the “GitHub.com” tab, then select the repository that you would like to add to your local environment.
Under “Local path”, choose where you would like to store repository files on your computer, then select “Clone”.
To pull in all files from the remote repository, make sure you are in the desired branch that you would like to pull changes from, then select “Pull origin”.

Modifying files:

For GitHub Desktop users, the main screen for a repository will be present 3 options on how to view/edit files in the repository.
GitHub Desktop users have the option to configure a default code editor and default shell.
A full list of supported code/text editors is available here. The code editor must be installed before it will be available in the listed options on GitHub Desktop. If it is installed while GitHub Desktop is open, you will need to restart GitHub Desktop before the new code editor will be available in the options.
Select “File” and then select “Options”.
Under “Integrations”, choose your default code/text editor and shell from list of options. Select “Save.”

Committing changes:

Files that you have modified will appear in the “Changes” tab. A green plus icon will indicate that you have created a new file. A red minus icon will indicate that you have deleted a file. Click on a file to view the changes that you have made.
When using GitHub Desktop, changes can be committed directly without first adding them to “Staging”. To commit your changes, select all or some of the files and enter your commit message in the “Summary” text box. If any additional information needs to be provided for a collaborator to review your code, enter this in the “Description” text box. Select “Commit to ”.

View previous commits:

To track all changes, select the “History” tab. Click on a commit message to view the commit hash and the changes that were made.

Push commits to GitHub:

After changes have been committed, select “Push origin”. If this is your first time working in a new branch, you will first need to select “Publish branch” to create a remote branch to correspond with your local branch. You will then be able to push your commits.

Create pull request:

After changes have been pushed from your local to remote branch, select “Create Pull Request”.
You will be directed to the GitHub pull request creation screen in your browser.

Pull changes to local:

Select the “Current branch” dropdown and switch to the main branch.
Select “Pull origin” to pull changes from the remote version of the main branch.
Next, select the “Current branch” dropdown and switch back to your branch.
Select “Branch” and then “Update from main”.

[aassuied-ps]

Hi @RitaPecuch, I did not go in details, but I think I covered the same topics as you. I added the link of supported editors you mention, thanks a lot for that.

I opened a PR here at #37, if you want to take a look and make a review. I plan to merge it next week.