If you haven't yet deployed to Github, start at First-time setup. Otherwise, start at Every time.

First-time setup

Goals

• Create a new git repository locally
• Create a new git repository on Github
• Push your local repository to Github

Steps

If you have a 'railsbridge' folder on your computer or some other place you like to keep project files, cd to that directory and then follow the steps below.

Step 1: Make a special new directory

To get started on the project, you'll need to open up your command line. If you have a Mac, open up the Terminal app. If you're on a PC, look for a program called Command Prompt. You'll also need to know your Github user name and password, so go ahead and double-check it if you don't remember. Wherever you see [your-github-user-name], you'll replace that with your user name (and delete the braces).

Type this in the terminal:

mkdir [your-github-user-name].github.com

mkdir stands for 'make directory.' You just made a new directory that you'll put your project files in.

Step 2: Initialize a new local git repository

Type this in the terminal:

cd [your-github-user-name].github.com

You just changed directories and moved into the folder you just created.

Type this in the terminal:

git init

You just initialized an empty repository, i.e. told git, 'I want to start a new project here.'

Step 3: Make a commit

Type this in the terminal:

touch index.html
git add index.html

This creates a blank, new file called 'index.html'. The next line tells git you want to stage the file.

Type this in the terminal:

git commit -m 'first commit'

You just made an initial commit. (Think of it as a snapshot of your project that you can come back to later.)

Step 4: Add Github as a remote

You really do have to type your user name three times in the next command. Get ready for it.

Type this in the terminal:

git remote add origin https://[your-github-user-name]@github.com/[your-github-user-name]/[your-github-user-name].github.com.git

You just set up a 'remote' — a git repository somewhere else (in this case, on Github) that also holds your project files.

Step 5: Create a new repo via the Github UI

You can skip this step if you've created a [your-github-user-name].github.com page previously.

Navigate to https://github.com/[your-github-user-name]/

Click 'Create a new repo' in the upper right

Type [your-github-user-name].github.com into the 'Repository name' box

DO NOT choose 'Initialize this repository with a README' when creating the repo.

Step 6: Push your code to Github

Now, push the new file you just committed to Github.

Type this in the terminal:

git push -u origin master

You'll probably be prompted to type your Github password at this point. After you do, you'll have just pushed your project to Github's servers!

If you have existing content in your Github pages repo, this command will fail, and you will have to do a git push -uf origin master instead. Verify with a TA first that you're doing the right thing.

Step 7

Woohoo!!! Take a breath and wait 15 minutes.

Because you gave your Github repository a special name (in the format [your-github-user-name].github.com), Github will automatically take the contents of this one repository and make them your personal web page on Github. But there's a small lag between the first push and being able to see your content on the web.

In 15 minutes, when you visit [your-github-user-name].github.com in a browser, you should see a blank white page. This is great! You're looking at the index.html file you just created, now live on the web!

Every time

Goals

• Commit your changes to locally
• Push your changes to Github

Step 1: Commit any pending changes to git

Github will only receive the files we've committed into our local git repository. So we need to make sure all changed files have been committed.

Type this in the terminal:

git status

git status shows you any pending changes you've created. If it has no output, you're already ready to deploy! Otherwise...

Type this in the terminal:

git add .
git commit -m "Some helpful message for your future self"

Your commit message should reference whatever your outstanding changes are: something like 'added new cat picture'.

Step 2: Push changes to Github

Type this in the terminal:

git push origin master

This takes all changes you've committed locally and pushes them to Github.

Step 3: Visit your site

Go to your browser and navigate to [your-github-user-name].github.com

You should see the changes you made, but ON THE INTERNET!