Setting Up GitHub Desktop & Creating Our First Repository

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Note: This section assumes you already have an account on GitHub. If not, follow the steps outlined in “Creating Your First Repository on GitHub” section in Lesson 3, “Using GitHub for Version Control”.

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

Click the Sign in to GitHub.com button. This will open a browser window where you can use your GitHub credentials to log into GitHub. If you have not already logged into GitHub in your browser, you will be presented with the following window.

Screenshot of Browser showing sign into GitHub to continue to GitHub Desk screen.
Screenshot of Browser showing sign into GitHub to continue to GitHub Desk screen.

Enter your credentials and click the green Sign in button to access the select user page. Note: If you are signed into GitHub.com in your browser, you will be taken directly to the select user page.

Screenshot of Browser asking for confirmation of user to authorize GitHub Desktop.
Screenshot of Browser asking for confirmation of user to authorize GitHub Desktop.

Click the green Continue button for the user you want to use with GitHub Desktop.

Screenshot of browser detailing privileges granted to GitHub Desktop
Screenshot of browser detailing privileges granted to GitHub Desktop

Next, you will be asked to authorize GitHub Desktop with your GitHub account and allow access to all repositories, your data on GitHub, and workflows. Click the Green Authorize desktop button to continue.

Screenshot of browser asking for permission to open GitHub Desktop
Screenshot of browser asking for permission to open GitHub Desktop

You will be asked if you want to allow the website to open GitHub Desktop. Click Allow or Always Allow based on your preferences. GitHub Desktop should appear after clicking Allow.

Screenshot of GitHub Desktop Configure screen asking for name and email address
Screenshot of GitHub Desktop Configure screen asking for name and email address

Here you are asked to configure the name and email to use when creating commits. You can use the information that is already stored in your GitHub account or provide a name and email address to use. This information will be used commit messages.

This screen is equivalent to the following command line git statements.

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"

Click the blue Finish button to continue.

Creating Your Homework Repository

Screenshot of GitHub Desktop Let's Get Started screen with buttons to create or clone a repository
Screenshot of GitHub Desktop Let's Get Started screen with buttons to create or clone a repository

Screenshot of GitHub Desktop Create Repository screen with fields for repository information
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mkdir myCoolApp
cd myCoolApp
git init

Publishing the Repository to GitHub

Finally, we arrive at the repository info screen. At the top of the window, we see the currently open repository. In this case, it is the repository we created in the last step. After the current repository, the current branch is listed. When a new repository is made, there is only one branch, main. After the current branch, there is an action to publish the repository to GitHub.

Screenshot of GitHub Desktop Publish Repository dialog
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Screenshot of GitHub Desktop Repository screen after publishing to GitHub
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git remote add origin <remote_repository_URL>
git push -u origin main
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