# GitHub Desktop Setup

If you prefer to use a Graphical User Interface (GUI) instead of the command line in a terminal, download and install GitHub Desktop.

```{note} If you are going to use GitHub Desktop, skip the Git Setup page. If you are not going to use GitHub Desktop, skip this page.
```

 

```{image} images/Github-desktop-logo-symbol.png
:alt: GitHub Desktop icon
:width: 100px
:align: center
```  

## What is GitHub Desktop?

[GitHub Desktop](https://github.com/apps/desktop) is a GUI for you to interact with GitHub without having to use the command line or web browser. GitHub Desktop installs also installs Git for you.

There are a few advanced commands in Git that are not available in GitHub Desktop, but it in general it is a powerful tool.

```{image} images/GH-desktop-image.png
:alt: GitHub Desktop icon
:align: center
```  

 

## Installing and Setup

The GitHub Desktop [documentation](https://docs.github.com/en/desktop/overview/getting-started-with-github-desktop) provides clear, step-by-step instructions for [installing, authenticating, and configuring](https://docs.github.com/en/desktop/overview/getting-started-with-github-desktop) GitHub Desktop and GitHub.

```{image} images/GH-desktop-overview.png
:alt: GitHub Desktop icon
:align: center
```

 

Before the workshop, please read and follow the directions in Part 1 and Part 2 of Getting Started with GitHub Desktop.

[Part 1: Installing and authenticating](https://docs.github.com/en/desktop/overview/getting-started-with-github-desktop#part-1-installing-and-authenticating)

[Part 2: Configuring and customizing GitHub Desktop](https://docs.github.com/en/desktop/overview/getting-started-with-github-desktop#part-2-configuring-and-customizing-github-desktop)