Downloading & Installing GitHub Desktop

A Git UI provides an intuitive, visual interface for managing version control tasks without needing to use complex command-line Git commands. It simplifies common actions like staging changes, committing, branching, and resolving conflicts, making it especially helpful for beginners or those who prefer a more visual workflow. GitHub Desktop also integrates seamlessly with GitHub, allowing easy syncing, cloning, and pull request management.

While there are many Git UIs to choose from, this lesson uses GitHub Desktop. You are free to use any UI of your choice or the command-line interface. While this lesson is for first-time developers with little to no experience with Git, experienced Git users should also follow along as this lesson details how to use Git for your assignments.

Go to the website https://github.com/apps/desktop.

Home screen of github.com/apps/desktop with download now button
Home screen of github.com/apps/desktop with download now button

Click the Download now button located in the lower left corner.

On the download page, click the download button that matches your computer. If your computer is an M series, click the Download for Apple silicon. Click the Download for Intel chip if your computer is Intel-based.

If you do not know what type of computer you have, you can find out by clicking the Apple icon in the top left corner of your screen and then clicking About This Mac. A window will appear that has information about your Mac. The value for chip will tell if the Mac is Intel or Apple Silicon.

Screenshots of the location of the Apple menu item and the About this Mac dialog
Screenshots of the location of the Apple menu item and the About this Mac dialog

You may get a dialog requesting permission to download files from GitHub; click Allow. Once the download is complete, double-click the ZIP file to open it in a Finder window.

Screenshot the Finder window showing the contents of the Downloads folder.
Screenshot the Finder window showing the contents of the Downloads folder.

Drag GitHub Desktop to the Applications folder. Click on the Applications folder and find GitHub Desktop. Double-click on GitHub Desktop to open it.

Screenshot the Finder window showing the contents of the Applications folder.
Screenshot the Finder window showing the contents of the Applications folder.

The first time you run GitHub Desktop, you will be presented with a dialog confirming you want to open the app.

Screenshot of dialog warning that the file was downloaded from the Internet.
Screenshot of dialog warning that the file was downloaded from the Internet.

Click the Open button to be taken to the welcome screen.

Screenshot GitHub Desktop welcome screen.
Screenshot GitHub Desktop welcome screen.

What we have done so far.

  • Downloaded GitHub Desktop
  • Installed GitHub Desktop

In the next lesson, we will continue working with GitHub Desktop right from this step.
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