# GitHub Setup

```{image} images/Octocat.png
:alt: GitHub Octocat
:width: 100px
:align: center
```  

## What is GitHub?

[GitHub](https://github.com/) is a web-based hosting service that manages Git repositories. GitHub **is not** Git. GitHub allows you to collaborate on the work in Git repositories.

## Create a [GitHub](https://github.com) account if you do not already have one

- Go to <https://github.com> and sign up for an account

```{image} images/GH_signup_button.png
:alt: GitHub signup button
:width: 150px
:align: center
```

- Choose your username and enter the email address you want linked to your GitHub account

- Prove you are not a robot

- Enter the confirmation code sent to the email address you provided

- Sign in

After you sign in, you will land on your GitHub Dashboard/Home page. Feel free to explore the tutorials. When you follow people or repositories, their updates will show up on your Dashboard.

&nbsp;

## Add your profile

Let people know who your are!

To to add your profile, click on your icon in the upper right corner

```{image} images/GitHub_personalicon.png
:alt: GitHub personal icon
:align: center
```

&nbsp;

... and a menu of options will appear.

You can either choose `Your profile`, then click on the `Edit Profile` button on your profile page.

```{image} images/GitHub_profile.png
:alt: GitHub personal icon
:width: 200px
:align: center
```

&nbsp;

Or, you can choose `Settings` and edit your profile from there.

```{image} images/GitHub_settings.png
:alt: GitHub personal icon
:width: 200px
:align: center
```

&nbsp;

## Account settings

Your account settings allow you to manage your personal information, security, accessibility, and preferences, including email preferences, notifications, and more.

### Personal Account Settings

Public Profile: Customize your profile with an avatar, name, bio, location, and other details.

Appearance: Choose your preferred theme, emoji skin tone, tab size preference, and Markdown editor front preference.

Notifications: Configure the types of activity on GitHub that you want to receive notifications for and how you want these updates delivered.

**Email Preferences**: Manage your email addresses, including primary, backup, and commit emails, and control emails you receive from GitHub.

**Password and Authentication**: Set up two-factor authentication or passkeys.

And a lot more!

Take a look at your email preferences if you would prefer GitHub not publicly use your email address in commits.