Skip to content

Version Control that Works Today: Git & GitHub with CI

This workshop will get you hands on with foundational tools leveraged across the software industry. You, with guidance from industry professionals, will apply these tools and practices to your own homework or projects and by the end, you'll have:

  • A real GitHub repository with meaningful history
  • A .gitignore file that keeps junk out
  • Automated builds that run on every push
  • A status badge that shows your project is healthy
  • Automated releases that run on pushes to your main branch
  • Confidence to use Git & GitHub in your coursework and beyond
  • Start building out your GitHub heatmap (employers do look at this!)

Learning Goals

By the end of this workshop, you'll be able to:

  • Distinguish Git (local version control) from GitHub (remote hosting & collaboration)
  • Explain why version control matters for your coursework and future career
  • Initialize repos, make commits, and push to GitHub using the gh CLI
  • Create targeted .gitignore files for your tech stack
  • Wire up GitHub Actions to automatically validate your projects
  • Add status badges that signal project health to collaborators and recruiters

Workshop Flow

  1. Ground Zero Check (5 min) - Get your tools ready
  2. New Repo from Scratch (15 min) - Start fresh and learn the basics
  3. Convert Existing Project (20 min) - Bring your real work under version control
  4. Automate Build Checks (25 min) - Set up automated testing
  5. Polish & Badge (10 min) - Add status indicators
  6. Troubleshooting Buffer (10 min) - Fix any hiccups
  7. Reflection (5 min) - Solidify your learning

This workshop is designed for people at varying levels in their education and you do not need to complete the workshop to get value from this. Have fun, ask for help when needed, and help others who need it.

Ready to Start?

Choose your path:

"The best time to start using version control was when you started your first project. The second best time is now."