Creating a Branch

The first branch you will create should be based on the "main" branch. You can create a branch starting from another branch, but this is not recommended for new students. We recommend create a new branch from main, which you can then modify, improve, and break to your hearts content.

To create a new branch:

1. Download and install GitHub Desktop on your personal computer. Ensure that you have created a GitHub account (it's free!). Once GitHub Desktop is installed, log into the program.

2. Navigate to File -> Clone Repository. In the pop-up window, go to URL and use the following URL: https://github.com/Carleton-SRCL/SPOT

3. Ensure the local path leads to an empty folder; this will be your working branch going forward. Typically, we recommend: C:\Users\User Name\Documents\GitHub\SPOT

4. At the top of the program, click on Current Branch, then select main as the branch that you want to base your new branch on:

5. When the pop-up opens, give your branch a name. Usually, we recommend using your name so that it won't be confused with any other students:

6. Once again, under Current Branch, select your new branch that you have created:

7. Once you have created a branch, you will then need to publish it to make it available for collaboration and to allow you to update your branch when big fixes or enhancements are made to the master branch. With your branch selected as the current branch, you should see Publish branch in the top right and corner of the program.

And that's it! To find out how to update your brand or create a pull request, continue reading the Wiki. Note, if you ever want to delete your branch, simply right click it in the current branch selector, and then select "Delete". This is a permanent action, so it cannot be reverted!