I know in the future I will have to know Git, Github. I’m new to learning code and it is over whelming for sure, but that is for another time. I have downloaded git on to my computer locally and signed up for a Github Account. Now I have Desktop github thrown at me. Some say learn the terminal only and others say you need the Desktop app. Git version 2.33.0.windows.1 is on my windows 10 terminal or command prompt. Question?? if I now download and install the Desktop Git does it use the version I already have installed? or was that just a waste of time ( putting that on my computer) and should remove it. I want to do it right, but wow , how confusing when your new… whew. thanks to anyone who might respond with their advice… thanks
I think by Desktop Git you mean GitHub Desktop right? If that is the case, if you install it, it will work with the git version you already have installed since GitHub Desktop and Git are different things. So yeah, I would recommend go ahead and install it and give GitHub Desktop a try since it will make things easier now that you are learning, you can go back to use terminal whenever you want once you understand a bit better how to work with git.
One of the easiest mistakes to make when starting out is to get confused between what is git and what is github.
git is the version control software used to keep track of changes within a codebase. You can use it by itself without using github, nor is it directly related to github.
Github is the company that provides services that integrate with git, allowing you to host repisotiries, manage your projects via issues, and do other things directly or indirectly related to git.
Github Desktop is a tool created by Github to help work with git on your system. It also integrates with Github’s services, such as pull requests. Its overall goal is primarily to handle core use-cases when using git and Github,
There are other tools you can use instead of directly using git, Github Desktop, is just one option that is dedicated to interacting with Github. However the underlying tool is always git, which is why it is recommended to learn that tool, rather than an abstraction like Github Desktop.
As git by itself can get confusing and takes some time to understand the core basics. Github by extension takes knowing git and adds in the wrinkle that you now are using git with an external remote (Github) and github’s own services that are unrelated to git (issues/projects/pull-requests/etc).
Github Desktop can help leverage both of those technologies, but will also keep you from learning and fully* understanding how git by itself works.
If you just want to get going and focus more on code, while still using Github to show off/back-up your code, then yes use Github Desktop, it will get you going faster. If you want to learn git, then use git directly as much as possible and find resources dedicated to understanding and learning git, as its the best tool because really its the only tool underpinning all of these technologies.
Yep, opps, GitHub Desktop would be correct. Thanks for answering that question because I was hoping that 's how it worked and I wasn’t downloading and installing stuff that was not necessary which would just make it more confusing then it already is. Also good advise I think… just go to terminal the more you understand how it all works. I will just have to get into the drivers seat and drive a while and put up some newbie stuff till I understand it all, ( maybe not all, lol) I don’t think you every know it all. Thanks again efrensho for your help…
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Okay then… there it is… thanks so much. git is the stand alone product eventually that I need to understand ( at some point ) and I could use GitHub Desktop suggested by efrensho to get the concept of a lot of it, but knowing the tool itself in termianl will at some point be the goal because not everyone might be using github, but are using git.
Wow, so much to learn… I have gone though Scientific Computing with Python on freecodecamp, python with mosh, Learn Python - Full Course for Beginners [Tutorial] with Mike . going to work on the Arithmetic Formatter and feel dumb as a rock… part of learning I guess… thanks for all the info. you provided and I (git) what it is now.(pun intended) Thanks again.
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Personally, I’m not a big fan of the desktop application, but I am constantly using my terminal so it’s just easier for me to use git from the terminal.
I understand the reason a person would have to know terminal or command line with Git.
now that I understand the differences and that Git is a stand alone tool. If your plan is to show your work with no plans to join a team of collaborators on a project or any kind of work for anyone else, I guess the GUI is enough. If anything more it would be wise to have a good handle on the Terminal with Git. Thanks for your input and advice JeremyLT.
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