Collaborating with GitHub

GitHub is a platform that hosts Git repositories and provides tools for collaboration.

Overview

GitHub makes it easy to collaborate on projects by providing:

• Remote repository hosting
• Pull requests for code review
• Issue tracking
• Project management tools
• CI/CD integration

Setting Up Remote Repositories

Adding a Remote

git remote add origin https://github.com/username/repo.git

Viewing Remotes

git remote -v

Pushing to Remote

git push origin main

Pull Requests

Creating a Pull Request

1. Push your branch to GitHub
2. Navigate to the repository
3. Click “New Pull Request”
4. Select your branch and base branch
5. Add description and reviewers
6. Click “Create Pull Request”

Reviewing Pull Requests

Pull requests allow team members to:

• Review code changes
• Leave comments and suggestions
• Request changes
• Approve and merge

Forking and Contributing

Forking a Repository

1. Click the “Fork” button on GitHub
2. Clone your fork locally
3. Make changes
4. Push to your fork
5. Create a pull request to the original repository

Keeping Your Fork Updated

git remote add upstream https://github.com/original-owner/repo.git
git fetch upstream
git merge upstream/main

Issues and Project Management

Creating Issues

Issues are used to:

• Report bugs
• Request features
• Discuss ideas
• Track tasks

Labels and Milestones

Organize issues with:

• Labels: Categorize issues (bug, enhancement, etc.)
• Milestones: Group issues by release or sprint
• Assignees: Assign issues to team members

GitHub Actions

What are GitHub Actions?

GitHub Actions is a CI/CD platform that allows you to automate workflows.

Example Workflow

name: CI
on: [push, pull_request]
jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
      - name: Run tests
        run: npm test

Best Practices for Collaboration

1. Write clear commit messages: Explain what and why
2. Use pull requests: Don’t push directly to main
3. Review code thoroughly: Check for bugs and style
4. Communicate: Use issues and discussions
5. Follow the project’s guidelines: Read CONTRIBUTING.md

Resolving Conflicts

When Conflicts Occur

Conflicts happen when:

• Multiple people edit the same file
• Branches have diverged significantly
• Merging incompatible changes

Resolving Conflicts

1. Pull the latest changes
2. Git will mark conflicts in files
3. Edit files to resolve conflicts
4. Stage resolved files
5. Complete the merge

Conclusion

GitHub provides powerful tools for collaboration. By following best practices and using features like pull requests and issues, teams can work together effectively on projects of any size.