Git and GitHub for Writers
The first Git and GitHub class specifically for writers!
More and more, writers are being asked to use Git and GitHub for their documents. This is part of a philosophy called “Docs Like Code”, where documentation is created using the same tools and processes that code is. The problem is that Git and GitHub were designed specifically for developers, and these classes don’t work as well for writers.
This class differs from other Git and GitHub classes in that:
It explains concepts in ways that are meaningful to writers
All example files are documents rather than code
It talks about how files are used to create documentation
This course is for technical writers, project managers, and anyone who writes who needs to use version control tools like Git and GitHub. It covers:
What version control is
What “Docs Like Code” means
How to use Git manage file versions
How to use GitHub for pull requests and forking
How to handle difficult problems
How Git is used for documentation
In addition to videos, this course contains 14 hands-on exercises that lead you step-by-step in using Git and GitHub. All PowerPoint presentations are available as resources.
Getting Started with Git and GitHub
Introduction to what the course will cover.
Treating documentation like code, and how Git and GitHub are used for this.
Explains what version control is.
What is Git and how to install it.
What is GitHub and how to get started with it.
How to use the command line, which you will be using to interact with Git.
Covers the Git concepts of unstaged, staged, committed, and pushed files.
Git and GitHub Basics
How to add a file to the repository using Git and upload it to GitHub.
How to make changes using Git and "push" them up to GitHub.
How to delete and rename files using Git.
Explains why Git is designed with the four stages.
How to go back to previous versions of your files using Git.
Follow the instructions in the resource to do an exercise to go back to a previous commit.
Tag, Pull, Branch, and Stash
How to add a tag to a commit so it's easier to find later.
How to pull changes from GitHub to your local machine, merge content, and handle conflicts.
Why Git and GitHub are good for collaboration, and how to create branches and switch between branches.
How to create branches, change to them, and delete them.
How to use git stash to temporarily put away changes you are working on.
How to merge branches, both with no conflicts and with conflicts.
How to clone repositories to create local copies.
More Advanced Features and Next Steps
How to rebase a branch.
How to handle difficult-to-solve problems in Git.
How to tell Git to ignore files so that they are not considered part of the repository.
How to create documentation that uses Git and GitHub, and what are the next steps to learning more.
