get going

Get Going with GitHub

Start here if you are new, unsure, or joining from a workshop link. This guide walks you from "I have the link" to "I know where I am, what to do next, and how to ask for help." You do not need to know Git, GitHub, VS Code, or the command line before you begin.

What This Guide Does

This workshop is designed so you are never left guessing what comes next. You will have:

• A GitHub Classroom assignment link from the facilitator
• Your own private Learning Room repository
• Challenge issues that tell you exactly what to do
• Evidence prompts that tell you what to post when you finish
• Aria bot feedback on pull requests
• Reference solutions you can compare against after you try
• Multiple tool paths, so you can work in the browser, VS Code, GitHub Desktop, or the command line when appropriate

The goal is not to rush. The goal is to build confidence one checkable step at a time.

Step 1 - Know Your Starting Place

Before Day 1 starts, complete Chapter 00: Pre-Workshop Setup. That chapter helps you create or verify your GitHub account, configure accessibility settings, choose a browser, install Git and VS Code, and confirm your screen reader setup.

If you cannot finish every setup step before the workshop, tell a facilitator early. Setup problems are normal, and the workshop is designed with time and support for recovery.

Step 2 - Accept the GitHub Classroom Assignment

At the start of Day 1, the facilitator gives you a GitHub Classroom assignment link. It usually starts with https://classroom.github.com/a/.

1. Open the assignment link in the browser where you are signed in to GitHub.
2. If GitHub asks you to authorize GitHub Classroom, activate Authorize GitHub Classroom.
3. If you are asked to choose your name from a roster, find your name and select it. If your name is missing, use the skip option and tell the facilitator.
4. Activate Accept this assignment.
5. Wait while GitHub Classroom creates your private repository.
6. Refresh the page until the repository link appears.
7. Open the repository link and bookmark it.

Your repository name usually looks like learning-room-your-username. This is your personal practice space for the workshop.

Step 3 - Understand the Learning Room

The Learning Room is a private repository created from a template. Everyone starts from the same materials, but your work belongs to you.

You can safely practice there because:

• You have your own issues, branches, commits, and pull requests
• Other students do not see your work unless the facilitator intentionally pairs you
• Mistakes are expected and recoverable
• Bot feedback is educational, not punitive
• Challenge issues unlock in sequence so you always know the next step

Think of the Learning Room as a guided practice studio. It is real GitHub, but the room is set up so you can learn without fear of damaging a public project.

Step 4 - Find Challenge 1

After your Learning Room repository is created, the Student Progression Bot creates your first challenge issue.

1. Open your Learning Room repository.
2. Navigate to the Issues tab. On GitHub, the keyboard shortcut is G then I.
3. Find an issue titled Challenge 1: Find Your Way Around.
4. Open the issue and read the body from top to bottom.
5. Follow the checklist in the issue.
6. Post your evidence in the evidence field or as the requested comment.
7. Close the challenge issue when the instructions tell you to close it.

When you close a challenge issue, the next challenge opens. You do not need to hunt through the whole curriculum to know what is next.

Step 5 - Choose the Tool That Fits the Moment

There is no single correct way to use GitHub. The workshop teaches the workflow first, then offers tool paths.

Use this plain-language guide to decide where to start:

• GitHub.com in the browser: Best for Day 1, issues, pull requests, repository navigation, and reviews.
• github.dev: Best when you want a VS Code-style editor in the browser without installing anything. Press the period key from many repository pages to open it.
• VS Code desktop: Best for Day 2, local Git, Copilot, extensions, and deeper editing work.
• GitHub Desktop: Best if you want a desktop Git workflow without typing Git commands.
• GitHub CLI: Best if you prefer terminal workflows or want automation later.

You are not behind if you use one tool longer than someone else. The important skill is understanding the contribution workflow: issue, branch, change, commit, pull request, review, and merge.

Step 6 - What to Listen For with a Screen Reader

When you feel lost, listen for structure before you take action.

Useful signals include:

• Page title
• Repository name heading
• Landmark names such as main content or repository navigation
• Tab names such as Code, Issues, and Pull requests
• Issue title
• Pull request title
• Branch name
• Button name
• Field label
• Bot comment or check result

If you are not sure where you are, pause and navigate by headings or landmarks. Finding your position is part of the workflow, not a failure.

Step 7 - Use the Support Built into the Course

You have several safety nets.

• Every challenge issue includes instructions and evidence prompts.
• Every chapter has an If You Get Stuck section.
• Every challenge has a reference solution in the solutions folder.
• Aria posts feedback on pull requests.
• The Student Progression Bot opens the next challenge when you finish the current one.
• Facilitators and peers are part of the learning system.

If something does not work, do not start over silently. Read the latest bot message, check the challenge issue, and ask for help with the link to the page where you are stuck.

Step 8 - Your First Success Check

You are ready to continue when you can say these four things:

1. I can open my Learning Room repository.
2. I can find the Issues tab.
3. I can open Challenge 1.
4. I know where to post my evidence and how to ask for help.

That is enough. You do not need to understand every GitHub feature before you begin. The workshop will guide you one step at a time.

Where to Go Next

Use this order if you want the gentlest path:

1. Chapter 00: Pre-Workshop Setup
2. Chapter 01: Choose Your Tools
3. Chapter 02: Understanding GitHub
4. Chapter 03: Navigating Repositories
5. Chapter 04: The Learning Room
6. Your Challenge 1: Find Your Way Around issue in your Learning Room repository

You belong here. We will keep the path explicit, and we will keep giving you the next step.