Git is the version control software that powers GitHub. You need Git installed locally to clone repositories, make changes, and push updates.
For Mac Users
1
Open Terminal
- Press Cmd + Space to open Spotlight
- Type "Terminal" and press Enter
- A command line window will open
2
Check if Git is Installed
Type this command and press Enter to see if Git is already installed:
Terminal
git --versionIf you see a version number, Git is already installed. If not, macOS will prompt you to install the Xcode Command Line Tools which includes Git.
For Windows Users
1
Download Git
- Go to git-scm.com/download/win
- The download should start automatically
- If not, click the download link for your Windows version
2
Run the Installer
- Open the downloaded .exe file
- Accept the license agreement
- Use the default settings (just click Next)
- Click Install when ready
Configure Git with Your Identity
After installing Git, you need to tell it who you are. This information appears in your commits.
Terminal
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"Use the Same Email
Make sure to use the same email address you used for your GitHub account. This links your commits to your GitHub profile.
Lesson Complete!
- Installed Git on your computer
- Configured your name and email
- Ready to clone repositories
Git is now set up on your machine. Next, we'll learn the basic Git concepts.
The patterns behind this lesson
Collaborative AIEnable effective collaboration between multiple users and AI within shared workflows.Contextual AssistanceOffer timely, proactive help and suggestions based on user context, history, and needs.Error Recovery & Graceful DegradationFail gracefully with clear recovery paths when things go wrong.