Checking Git

You can double check your version of git by going to a bash shell and then typing:

git --version

If you don’t remember how to access the shell, take a look at Configure a Mac for Data Science or Configure a Windows PC for Data Science.

Showing your “branch” in the bash shell

As I mentioned, git takes snapshots of a directory (which you would think of as a “folder” with all its contents). It is really designed to keep track of related sets of snapshots. These sets grow through time like a tree’s trunk and the branches off the trunk. There is a branch typically called “master” (which is like the tree trunk) that contains the “completed” or “I think it is bug free” code. Other branches split off the master, with names like “new feature” or “fixing old bug #3.” These branches, off the master branch, start with a copy of the contents of a master branch snapshot. You can take snapshots of these additional branches as you build parts of a solution. Once the new feature is done or once the old bug is fixed, you can add the code back onto the master branch and delete the temporary branch that you used while you were developing the solution.

By default, when you are looking at the directory in the terminal that git is monitoring, it does not tell you which branch you are looking at. This can get wildly confusing when you get back from lunch and you start to work on the wrong branch of your code. I like to have my terminal window show me which branch I am working on. To do that, you need to modify a bash configuration file.

Most Macs, as well as Windows machines with git installed, have a terminal that uses the bash shell. I have my terminal configured to show me the file path to the directory that I am currently looking at, as well as which git branch I am working on.

To set the configuration, you need to create or modify a file called .bash_profile. On Macs, that file is hidden by default. To see if you have the file already, in the shell type:

cd ~
ls -a

PRO TIP: Mac files with names that start with a . are hidden. With a finder window open, type
⌘ ⇧ . (command + shift + .) to toggle show/hide hidden files.

If you don’t see a file called .bash_profile type this:

touch .bash_profile
open .bash_profile

A text editor will open the file called .bash_profile. Paste this code into the file:

#Turn on color for bash
export CLICOLOR=1

#Choose the colors
export LSCOLORS=GxFxCxDxBxegedabagaced

#look up if the directory is using Git
parse_git_branch() {
  git branch 2> /dev/null | sed -e '/^[^*]/d' -e 's/* \(.*\)/ (\1)/'
}

#Display path and git branch by the curser
export PS1="\w\[\033[32m\]\$(parse_git_branch)\[\033[00m\] $ "

If all goes well, the next time you open a shell window these instructions will tell bash to show you the branch if git is enabled (initialized) in a folder. It will also tell bash to highlight folder names in light blue when you use the ls command to list the stuff in a directory.

If you already have a .bash_profile file, it likely has an export PS1 statement. Consider defining the parse_git_branch(){stuff_listed_above} function before the export PS1 statement, and add (parse_git_brach) into your export PS1 statement. That will turn on the display of your git branch.

GitHub (for Students)

GitHub is a website that allows you to save your snapshots and, if you want to collaborate, will synchronize/harmonize your snapshots with other people’s work. Getting an account is as simple as visiting www.github.com and requesting an account. I strongly encourage you to use a .edu email account if you are a student. This will make it quick to get access to extra software/services.

After setting up the account go to education.github.com. Click the “Get benefits” button in the upper right corner.

After you get a confirmation from GitHub click on the GitHub Student Developer Pack logo. Admire the amazing offers, then find the GitKraken info (not the GitKraken Glo) and click the link to get an account:

That link will take you to the download page. Click the the Download GitKraken button: It will ask you about what version to download:

Download the program. If you are on Windows be sure to get the right version of the software. If you are not sure if you are running 64 or 32 bit Windows check here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/15056/windows-32-64-bit-faq.

Start the installer. When it asks you to configure, click the Sign in with GitHub button. It will ask you if you really want to authorize. Click the green “Continue authorization” button and GitHub will ask you to confirm. Click Authorize Axosoft:

Fill in your name and email information in the profile. This should match the email that you used when you set up your GitHub account.

Read and agree to the License.

Click on the New Tab and you can see the basic interface.