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    Getting Started with Git and GitHub
    • About
    • Outcomes
    • Modules
    • Testimonials
    • Reviews
    • Recommendations
    1. Browse
    2. Computer Science
    3. Software Development
    IBM

    Getting Started with Git and GitHub

    This course is part of multiple programs.

    This course is part of multiple programs

    IBM Back-End Development Professional Certificate
    IBM iOS and Android Mobile App Developer Professional Certificate
    IBM Back-end JavaScript Developer Professional Certificate
    IBM Full-Stack JavaScript Developer Professional Certificate
    IBM Full Stack Software Developer Professional Certificate
    IBM Front-End Developer Professional Certificate
    IBM DevOps and Software Engineering Professional Certificate
    IBM Java Developer Professional Certificate
    Applied Software Engineering Fundamentals Specialization
    Rav Ahuja
    Upkar Lidder
    Lavanya Thiruvali Sunderarajan

    Instructors: Rav Ahuja

    Instructors

    Instructor ratings

    We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.

    4.7 (448 ratings)
    Rav Ahuja
    Rav Ahuja
    IBM
    55 Courses•3,661,488 learners
    Upkar Lidder
    Upkar Lidder
    IBM
    15 Courses•419,282 learners
    Lavanya Thiruvali Sunderarajan
    Lavanya Thiruvali Sunderarajan
    7 Courses•191,976 learners

    119,759 already enrolled

    Included with Coursera Plus

    •Learn more
    4 modules
    Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
    4.7

    95%

    (1,673 reviews)

    Beginner level

    Recommended experience

    Recommended experience

    Beginner level

    Basic computer and IT literacy. Suitable for those new to software development. No prior programming experience is required.

    Flexible schedule
    Approx. 10 hours
    Learn at your own pace
    Earn a Certificate
    With paid plans

    4 modules
    Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
    4.7

    95%

    (1,673 reviews)

    Beginner level

    Recommended experience

    Recommended experience

    Beginner level

    Basic computer and IT literacy. Suitable for those new to software development. No prior programming experience is required.

    Flexible schedule
    Approx. 10 hours
    Learn at your own pace
    Earn a Certificate
    With paid plans
    • About
    • Outcomes
    • Modules
    • Testimonials
    • Reviews
    • Recommendations

    What you'll learn

    • Describe version control and its place in social and collaborative coding and in DevOps.

    • Explain basic Git concepts such as repositories and branches used for distributed version control and social coding.

    • Create GitHub repositories and branches, and perform pull requests (PRs) and merge operations, to collaborate on a team project.

    • Build your portfolio by creating and sharing an open-source project on GitHub.

    Skills you'll gain

    • GitHub
    • Open Source Technology
    • Web Applications
    • Version Control
    • Collaborative Software
    • Command-Line Interface
    • DevOps
    • Git (Version Control System)

    Details to know

    Shareable certificate

    Add to your LinkedIn profile

    Assessments

    5 assignments

    Taught in English

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    • Learn new concepts from industry experts
    • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
    • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
    • Earn a shareable career certificate
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    There are 4 modules in this course

    Get started with Git and GitHub in this self-paced, introductory course! You’ll become familiar with collaborative version control and popular Git platforms. Collaboration and social coding are crucial parts of contemporary Software Engineering practices and the DevOps culture.

    You will begin this course with an overview of Git and Github fundamentals and explore key Git concepts such as branching and repositories, as well as the use of Git commands. You will also learn and practice various Git concepts such as forking, cloning and merging workflows using hands-on labs. And you’ll learn to use GitHub to work effectively as a team, and perform common Git operations, from both the Web UI and command line. The course wraps up with a final project where you will start building your portfolio by creating and sharing a public/open-source GitHub project. By completing this course you will demonstrate your Git and Github skills as well as add a project to your resume! All hands-on activities in this course can be performed using web-browser based tools and interfaces. Installation of any specialized software is NOT required on your own computer in order to complete the course.

    Application developers rarely work alone. Large web/cloud/mobile development and data science projects will include many people – front-end developers, back-end developers, database administrators, repository administrators, and others. Every change by every contributor must be tracked and controlled to enable collaboration, accountability, and version management. This type of distributed version control is extremely important when managing both small and large software projects. In this module, you will learn about some of the popular version control tools, create a GitHub account, and use the GitHub web interface to create a repository, add a file to it, and commit your changes. Branches are the heart of workflows in Git-based version control systems like GitHub. You will also become familiar with creating and using branches and merging your changes to the main branch.

    What's included

    6 videos2 readings3 assignments3 plugins

    6 videos•Total 24 minutes
    • Course Introduction•3 minutes•Preview module
    • Overview of Git and GitHub•3 minutes
    • Introduction to GitHub•4 minutes
    • GitHub Repositories•4 minutes
    • GitHub - Getting Started•3 minutes
    • GitHub Branches•4 minutes
    2 readings•Total 4 minutes
    • Summary: Getting Started with Git and GitHub•2 minutes
    • Summary: Branches with GitHub•2 minutes
    3 assignments•Total 37 minutes
    • Graded Quiz: Git and GitHub Fundamentals•21 minutes
    • Practice Quiz: Getting Started with Git and GitHub•10 minutes
    • Practice Quiz: Branches with GitHub•6 minutes
    3 plugins•Total 55 minutes
    • Hands-On Lab: GitHub Sign Up and Create Repo•30 minutes
    • Hands-On Lab: Branching and Merging (Web UI)•20 minutes
    • Glossary: Git and GitHub Fundamentals •5 minutes

    As you start working with GitHub repositories and automating workflows, using the web interface can be limiting and more time-consuming. This is where Git commands come in. You can use it from your own desktop, or a virtual desktop provided through the Cloud IDE - wherever you develop your code. In this module, you will become familiar with and utilize various Git commands to clone and fork repositories, as well as commit, push, and pull your changes using the command line.

    What's included

    6 videos1 reading2 assignments2 app items3 plugins

    6 videos•Total 33 minutes
    • Overview of Git Workflows•6 minutes•Preview module
    • Overview of Git Commands•5 minutes
    • Demo: Working with Branches using Git Commands•4 minutes
    • Cloning and Forking GitHub Projects•6 minutes
    • Cloning versus Forking•6 minutes
    • Managing GitHub Projects•3 minutes
    1 reading•Total 2 minutes
    • Summary: Git Workflows with Git Commands•2 minutes
    2 assignments•Total 31 minutes
    • Graded Quiz: Git Commands and Managing GitHub Projects •21 minutes
    • Practice Quiz: Git Workflows with Git Commands•10 minutes
    2 app items•Total 50 minutes
    • Hands-On Lab: Getting Started with Branches using Git Commands•25 minutes
    • Hands-On Lab: Cloning and Forking GitHub Projects•25 minutes
    3 plugins•Total 29 minutes
    • Reading: Git Commands•15 minutes
    • Cheat Sheet: Git Commands and Managing GitHub Projects •10 minutes
    • Glossary: Git Commands and Managing GitHub Projects •4 minutes

    Now that you are familiar working with GitHub repositories, Branches, and Git commands, in this module you will apply your knowledge and skills to create a GitHub Project, add few files to it such as an open-source license, and share it publicly.

    What's included

    1 video2 readings1 peer review2 app items5 plugins

    1 video•Total 5 minutes
    • [Optional] GitHub Copilot•5 minutes•Preview module
    2 readings•Total 7 minutes
    • Congratulations and Next Steps•2 minutes
    • Thanks from the Course Team•5 minutes
    1 peer review•Total 30 minutes
    • Final Project: Submit Your Work and Review Your Peers•30 minutes
    2 app items•Total 105 minutes
    • Practice Project: Part 2 - Git CLI•45 minutes
    • Final Project: Part 2 - Git CLI•60 minutes
    5 plugins•Total 95 minutes
    • Practice Project: Overview•15 minutes
    • Practice Project: Part 1 - GitHub UI•30 minutes
    • Final Project: Overview and Grading Criteria•15 minutes
    • Final Project: Part 1 - GitHub UI•30 minutes
    • Course Glossary: Git and GitHub•5 minutes

    In this module, you will learn to install Git Bash on your Windows machine and configure an SSH key to work with your GitHub repo using Git commands on your system.

    What's included

    1 reading4 plugins

    1 reading•Total 10 minutes
    • Using Git Commands from your Desktop (Optional)•10 minutes
    4 plugins•Total 85 minutes
    • Hands-On Lab: GitBash Installation on Desktop (Optional)•20 minutes
    • Hands-On Lab: SSH Key Creation (Optional)•20 minutes
    • Lab: Add SSH to Repo (Optional)•15 minutes
    • Hands-On Lab: Using Git from Your Own Desktop (Optional)•30 minutes

    Instructors

    Instructor ratings

    Instructor ratings

    We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.

    4.7 (448 ratings)
    Rav Ahuja
    Rav Ahuja
    IBM
    55 Courses•3,661,488 learners

    Instructors

    Instructor ratings

    We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.

    4.7 (448 ratings)
    Rav Ahuja
    Rav Ahuja
    IBM
    55 Courses•3,661,488 learners
    Upkar Lidder
    Upkar Lidder
    IBM
    15 Courses•419,282 learners
    Lavanya Thiruvali Sunderarajan
    Lavanya Thiruvali Sunderarajan
    7 Courses•191,976 learners

    Offered by

    IBM

    Offered by

    IBM

    At IBM, we know how rapidly tech evolves and recognize the crucial need for businesses and professionals to build job-ready, hands-on skills quickly. As a market-leading tech innovator, we’re committed to helping you thrive in this dynamic landscape. Through IBM Skills Network, our expertly designed training programs in AI, software development, cybersecurity, data science, business management, and more, provide the essential skills you need to secure your first job, advance your career, or drive business success. Whether you’re upskilling yourself or your team, our courses, Specializations, and Professional Certificates build the technical expertise that ensures you, and your organization, excel in a competitive world.

    Why people choose Coursera for their career

    Felipe M.
    Learner since 2018
    "To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."
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    "I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."
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    Learner reviews

    4.7

    1,673 reviews

    • 5 stars

      75.59%

    • 4 stars

      18.07%

    • 3 stars

      3.69%

    • 2 stars

      1.13%

    • 1 star

      1.49%

    Showing 3 of 1673

    B
    BT
    5

    Reviewed on Mar 19, 2025

    Very helpful course! I now understand Git and GitHub much better, and can start working on my code in GitHub repositories!

    M
    MC
    5

    Reviewed on Jan 14, 2025

    Useful and easy to learn if you pay attention. I also love step by step approach and practice project first, doing it on my own later for grade was much easier.

    A
    AP
    5

    Reviewed on Apr 12, 2025

    There should be more information on the final project. I was a bit confused if it was talking about writing in CLI or Github.

    View more reviews
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    Learn more

    Career resources

    What Is Version Control? How It Works

    April 1, 2025

    Article

    GitLab vs. GitHub: Which to Choose?

    May 6, 2025

    Article

    What Is GitHub and Why Should You Use It?

    March 8, 2025

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    How to Get Into Linux: Your 2025 Guide

    March 18, 2025

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