How to save your first project online with GitHub Hello World

What you need

• An account on GitHub, or on GitHub Enterprise Server, the service this guide’s source describes.
• Internet access.
• No coding skills, command line experience or Git installation are needed for this tutorial.

The source tutorial describes GitHub Enterprise Server version 3.3. That version was discontinued on 2023-01-18 and gets no more patch releases, so upgrade to the latest version if your organisation offers one. If your screens look different from the steps below, check the current documentation for your service.

Step by step

The example for this guide is a small hello-world repository that you could use to keep notes for a trip-planning project. Adjust the wording to suit your own idea.

1. Open the New repository option. In the upper-right corner of any page, use the drop-down menu and select New repository. A repository is the place where one project’s files are organised.
2. Name the repository. In the Repository name box, enter hello-world. This is the name others will see.
3. Write a short description. In the Description box, add one line explaining what the project is for. For the trip-planning example, you might write “Notes for our spring trip.”
4. Choose Public or Private. Select whichever suits your project. Pick the option that matches who should be able to see the repository.
5. Add a README file. GitHub lets you add a README at the same time you create the repository. A README holds information about your project and is written in Markdown, a plain text style that uses simple symbols for formatting.
6. Create a branch called readme-edits. A branch is a separate version of your project. When you create it from main, it is a copy of main as it was at that moment. GitHub then shows you the code page for readme-edits.
7. Open README.md on the readme-edits branch. Click the README.md file so that you can edit it.
8. Edit the README. In the editor, write a bit about yourself. Try a few Markdown elements, such as a heading or a list, to see how they look.
9. Write a commit message. In the Commit changes box, describe what you changed and why. A saved change is called a commit, and the message builds a history that others can read.
10. Open a pull request. As soon as you have a commit on your branch, you can open a pull request. This proposes your changes for review and for merging into main. The request shows the differences between the two branches, with additions and removals in different colours. The source for this guide stops before listing every click, so follow the on-screen prompts and check the current documentation if you get stuck.

A copyable prompt for writing your commit message might look like this:

Suggest a short commit message for this change: I added a few lines about myself to my README.md file. Keep it under 10 words.

Tips and common mistakes

• Editing the wrong branch. Make your changes on readme-edits, not on main. Main stays as it was until a change is merged.
• Writing vague commit messages. A message like “stuff” does not help anyone understand the change later. Describe what changed.
• Forgetting Markdown is plain text. Symbols such as # or * are formatting instructions. Try a small change first to see how it displays.
• Choosing the wrong visibility. Check whether Public or Private fits before you save, especially if you add personal details.
• Assuming a pull request is the same as merging. Opening a pull request asks for review. Merging is a separate step that brings the changes into main.
• Trusting the wording without checking. If a suggested commit message or description sounds off, edit it so it matches what you actually did.

Use it responsibly

Always check AI answers and written instructions before you act on them, including suggestions for commit messages or README text. Read them carefully and correct anything that is wrong or unclear.

Protect your privacy. Never paste passwords, bank details, home addresses, private work code or other personal information into a README, a commit message or an AI prompt. Anything in a Public repository may be seen by others.

Follow the rules of your school or workplace, and follow the terms of the service you are using. Some organisations restrict which projects can be stored online, so ask before you upload anything that belongs to someone else.

Keep your account secure. Use a strong password that you do not use anywhere else, and do not share your login details with anyone.