> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://python4ai.codewithsiva.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# GitHub setup

> Create your account

## Create your GitHub account

GitHub is free and takes 5 minutes to set up. You'll need it to:

* Back up your code
* Share your projects
* Download AI tools and examples

## Step 1: Sign up

1. Go to [github.com](https://github.com)
2. Click "Sign up"
3. Enter:
   * **Username**: Pick something professional (employers will see this)
   * **Email**: Use one you check regularly
   * **Password**: Make it strong

## Step 2: Verify your account

GitHub will send you an email. Click the link to verify.

## Step 3: Set up your profile

Once logged in:

1. Click your profile picture (top right) > "Your profile"
2. Click "Edit profile"
3. Add:
   * **Name**: Your real name
   * **Image**: Add a profile picture
   * **Bio**: "Learning Python for AI development" (or similar)

## Step 4: Configure Git locally

Tell Git who you are (one-time setup):

```bash theme={null}
# Open terminal in VS Code (Terminal > New Terminal)
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"
```

Use the same email you used for GitHub.

## Step 5: Choose your authentication method

There are three ways to authenticate with GitHub. Choose one:

<Note>
  **Recommended**: We suggest using GitHub CLI for the easiest setup experience. It's modern, simple, and handles authentication automatically.
</Note>

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="GitHub CLI (Recommended)">
    ### GitHub CLI (gh)

    Modern approach using GitHub's official tool:

    1. Install GitHub CLI:
       * **Windows**: Download from [cli.github.com](https://cli.github.com)
       * **macOS**: `brew install gh`
       * **Linux**: See [installation guide](https://github.com/cli/cli#installation)

    2. Authenticate:

    ```bash theme={null}
    gh auth login
    ```

    3. Follow the prompts:
       * Choose GitHub.com
       * Choose SSH (recommended) or HTTPS
       * Authenticate with browser

    That's it! Git will automatically use your gh credentials.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="HTTPS with Token">
    ### Personal Access Token

    Traditional method using tokens:

    1. Go to GitHub Settings (click profile > Settings)
    2. Scroll down to "Developer settings" (left sidebar)
    3. Click "Personal access tokens" > "Tokens (classic)"
    4. Click "Generate new token" > "Generate new token (classic)"
    5. Give it a name like "My Laptop" or "VS Code"
    6. Select scopes: check `repo` (full control of repositories)
    7. Set expiration (or no expiration for convenience)
    8. Click "Generate token"
    9. **Copy the token immediately** (you won't see it again!)

    <Warning>
      Save your token somewhere safe! You'll need it when pushing code.
    </Warning>

    ### Using your token

    When you push code for the first time:

    ```bash theme={null}
    git push

    # GitHub will ask for:
    Username: your-github-username
    Password: paste-your-token-here (NOT your GitHub password!)
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="SSH Keys">
    ### SSH Keys

    The most secure method - no passwords needed:

    1. Generate SSH key:

    ```bash theme={null}
    ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"
    # Just press Enter for all prompts (accept defaults)
    ```

    2. Add to ssh-agent:

    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="macOS/Linux">
        ```bash theme={null}
        eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
        ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
        ```
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Windows">
        ```bash theme={null}
        # In Git Bash (not Command Prompt):
        eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
        ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
        ```
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>

    3. Copy your public key:

    ```bash theme={null}
    # macOS
    pbcopy < ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

    # Windows (Git Bash)
    cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub | clip

    # Linux
    cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
    # Then manually copy the output
    ```

    4. Add to GitHub:
       * Go to [GitHub Settings > SSH Keys](https://github.com/settings/keys)
       * Click "New SSH key"
       * Give it a title (e.g., "My Laptop")
       * Paste your key
       * Click "Add SSH key"

    5. Test the connection:

    ```bash theme={null}
    ssh -T git@github.com
    # You should see: "Hi username! You've successfully authenticated..."
    ```

    **Important**: When cloning, use SSH URLs:

    ```bash theme={null}
    # SSH URL (what you want)
    git clone git@github.com:username/repo.git

    # Not HTTPS URL
    git clone https://github.com/username/repo.git
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## What's next?

Now let's learn how to create your first repository and clone existing projects.

<Card title="Clone and create" icon="code-fork" href="/tools/git/clone-create">
  Start using GitHub
</Card>