Installing Git

Git is a version control system — software that tracks changes to your code over time.

What is Git?

The Problem Git Solves:

Without version control:
my_project/
├── index.html
├── index_v2.html
├── index_v2_final.html
├── index_v2_final_REALLY_FINAL.html
├── index_backup_before_changes.html
├── index_old_dont_delete.html
└── 😱
 
With Git:
my_project/
└── index.html  ← Always the current version
    └── (Git remembers EVERY previous version automatically)

Git Is Like:

Why Every Developer Uses Git

Installation Instructions

Choose your operating system:

# Windows Installation
 
## Step 1: Download
1. Open your browser
2. Go to: git-scm.com
3. Click "Download for Windows"
4. The installer will download automatically
 
## Step 2: Run Installer
1. Find and run the downloaded file
2. Click through the installer with these important choices:
 
Select Components:
- Keep defaults selected
 
Choosing the default editor:
- Choose "Use Visual Studio Code as Git's default editor"
 
Adjusting PATH: ⚠️ IMPORTANT
- Choose "Git from the command line and also from 3rd-party software"
 
HTTPS transport backend:
- Choose "Use the OpenSSL library"
 
Line ending conversions:
- Choose "Checkout Windows-style, commit Unix-style line endings"
 
Terminal emulator:
- Choose "Use Windows' default console window"
 
Other options:
- Keep defaults for remaining screens
 
3. Click Install
4. Click Finish
 
## Step 3: Restart VS Code
Close and reopen VS Code for changes to take effect.

Verification

Check Git Version:

Open VS Code Terminal (Ctrl/Cmd + `) and run:

git --version

Expected output:

Version number may vary — any response means success!

Initial Configuration

Git needs to know who you are (for tracking who made changes).

Configure Your Name:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"

Replace "Your Name" with your actual name.

Example:

git config --global user.name "Alex Johnson"

Configure Your Email:

git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"

Use an email you'll remember — ideally the same one you'll use for GitHub later.

Example:

git config --global user.email "alex.johnson@gmail.com"

Verify Configuration:

git config --global --list

Expected output:

Optional: Set Default Editor

Tell Git to use VS Code for any text editing:

git config --global core.editor "code --wait"

Configuration Checklist

Troubleshooting

What You Can Do Now

With Git installed, you can:

1. Initialize a repository:

git init

2. Track changes:

git add .
git commit -m "Description of changes"

3. See history:

git log

4. Connect to GitHub (coming in Module 3!)

We'll learn these commands in detail later. For now, just know Git is ready!

Git Concepts Preview

Here's what you'll learn to use:

Don't worry about memorizing these now — you'll learn by doing!

Lesson Summary

What You Accomplished:

• ✅ Understand what Git is (version control)
• ✅ Installed Git on your computer
• ✅ Configured name and email
• ✅ Verified installation

The Big Picture:

VS Code    → Where you write code
Node.js    → Runs your JavaScript
Git        → Tracks your changes
GitHub     → Shares and backs up your code (coming in Module 3)

Knowledge Check

Next Up

Let's verify your entire setup is working correctly with a complete environment check!