git-fundamentals

A starting point for discovering the wonderful world of Git, GitHub, and Git Annex (Assistant)

Concepts

Let's avoid this humorous, yet sad situation from PhD Comics.

1. What is Git?
   • A version control system, collaboration tool, and general awesomesauce.
   • If you forget today, click "Help" at the top of any GitHub page
2. What is GitHub?
   • It's a web app
   • There's also a desktop app
   • And even a mobile app!
3. What is Git good at?
   • "Small" "text" files.
   • Synchronization
   • Collaboration
4. Extra credit: What is Git Annex?
   • A companion to git for big files
   • We'll cover this in depth if there's time.

Getting the tools / Setup

• Sign up for github, and verify your email.
• Command line tools (you'll need this!):
  • GitHub recommends the official Git installer
  • I recommend homebrew for hackers on OS X
  • And it's easier to use your package manager (apt, yum, ...) for Unix, etc.
• GUI tools
  • Windows & Mac, also supports hg: SourceTree
  • Lightweight Mac client: GitX-dev
  • Lightweight GTK client: gitg (get it with your package manager).
  • Integrated with file manager:
    • TortoiseGit on Windows
    • RabbitVCS on Linux (also integrates with gedit)
  • Many others are available, and you can search for even more!
• Integration for your text editor!
  • Vim fugitive
  • Emacs
  • Sublime Text 2
  • gedit (use RabbitVCS)

Awesome resources

• Basic commands cheat sheet(s) (Note the links to other cheat sheets!)
• Gamified git
• GitHub sponsors this.
• Where does "help" go from GitHub? Here.
• @davclark is an awesome resource, himself! (when he's not being a jerk)
• Linux commands cheat sheet (also mostly works for OS X command line).
• git - the simple guide
• The visual github guide

Local Git expositors at UC Berkeley

• A problem-focused exploration of git features is available in @jkitzes' Data Science Lessons
• An IPython notebook (of course!) from @fperez.
• Lots of exposition on git + other mostly python stuff and python scripts for a standardized git workflow from @matthew-brett.
• Tons of R code to access public APIs from @karthik and the @rOpenSci team.

Fancy GitHub features

Map diffs are amazing:

• Explore the history of markers for restaurants
• See how congressional redistricting looks

CSV diffs are strangely not as good, but (properly formatted) CSV is displayed nicely and is searchable:

• A tables of S&P 500 securities

Git Annex

Read more here: http://git-annex.branchable.com/

Forking! What's that?

Forking on github is same as cloning in the command line.

Branching is also very important for collaboration

For branching, you should check the above link for now.