GitHub Setup Guide¶

Quick reference for setting up GitHub for your projects.

Prerequisites¶

• Email address for GitHub account
• Cursor or VS Code installed (see Editor Setup Guide)
• Git installed (see Git Installation Guide)

1. Create a GitHub Account¶

1. Go to github.com
2. Click Sign up
3. Follow the prompts to create your account
4. Verify your email address

Already have an account? Skip to step 2.

2. Clone a Repository¶

Use your code editor to download (clone) repositories from GitHub.

In Cursor or VS Code¶

1. Open the Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P)
2. Type Git: Clone
3. Paste the repository URL (e.g., https://github.com/username/project-name.git)
4. Choose a local folder location
5. Open the cloned repository when prompted

Verify the Clone Worked¶

After cloning, confirm the repository is on your machine:

1. Check the sidebar in your editor — you should see the project's files and folders
2. Open the integrated terminal (Ctrl + `) and run:

git status

You should see a message like On branch main — this confirms the repository was cloned correctly and Git is tracking it.

Git Concepts¶

Understanding these terms helps when working with Claude Code.

Commit¶

A commit saves a snapshot of your changes with a message describing what you did. Think of it as a save point you can return to.

Push¶

Push uploads your local commits to GitHub. Until you push, your changes only exist on your computer.

Pull¶

Pull downloads the latest changes from GitHub to your local copy. Do this before starting work to stay in sync.

Staging¶

Before committing, you stage files to indicate which changes to include. You can commit some changes while leaving others for later.

Using Claude Code for Git Operations¶

Once you have Claude Code installed, you can perform Git operations by asking Claude in natural language:

• "Commit my changes with a descriptive message"
• "Push my commits to GitHub"
• "Pull the latest changes"
• "Show me what files have changed"

Claude Code handles the Git commands for you.

Troubleshooting¶

Can't clone the repository? - Verify you have access to the repository - Check that the URL is correct - Make sure you're signed into GitHub in your editor

Authentication issues? - Your editor may prompt you to sign into GitHub - Follow the browser authentication flow when prompted

Next Steps¶

• Install AI coding CLIs to manage Git operations with natural language (see CLI Setup Guide)
• Try cloning a public repository to practice the workflow

Resources¶

• GitHub Docs