[](https://github.com/firstcontributions/open-source-badges)
[](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
[](https://www.codetriage.com/roshanjossey/first-contributions)
#### _Read this in [other languages](docs/translations/Translations.md)._
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# First Contributions
This project aims to simplify and guide the way beginners make their first contribution. If you are looking to make your first contribution, follow the steps below.
_If you're not comfortable with command line, [here are tutorials using GUI tools.](#tutorials-using-other-tools)_
#### If you don't have git on your machine, [install it](https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/quickstart/set-up-git).
## Fork this repository
Fork this repository by clicking on the fork button on the top of this page.
This will create a copy of this repository in your account.
## Clone the repository
Now clone the forked repository to your machine. Go to your GitHub account, open the forked repository, click on the code button, then on SSH tab and then click the _copy url to clipboard_ icon.
Open a terminal and run the following git command:
```bash
git clone "url you just copied"
```
where "url you just copied" (without the quotation marks) is the url to this repository (your fork of this project). See the previous steps to obtain the url.
For example:
```bash
git clone git@github.com:this-is-you/first-contributions.git
```
where `this-is-you` is your GitHub username. Here you're copying the contents of the first-contributions repository on GitHub to your computer.
## Create a branch
Change to the repository directory on your computer (if you are not already there):
```bash
cd first-contributions
```
Now create a branch using the `git switch` command:
```bash
git switch -c your-new-branch-name
```
For example:
```bash
git switch -c add-alonzo-church
```
If you get any errors using git switch, click here:
If the error message "Git: `switch` is not a git command. See `git –help`" appears, it's likely because you're using an older version of git.
In this case, try to use `git checkout` instead:
```bash
git checkout -b your-new-branch-name
```
## Make necessary changes and commit those changes
Now open `Contributors.md` file in a text editor, add your name to it. Don't add it at the beginning or end of the file. Put it anywhere in between. Now, save the file.
If you go to the project directory and execute the command `git status`, you'll see there are changes.
Add those changes to the branch you just created using the `git add` command:
```bash
git add Contributors.md
```
Now commit those changes using the `git commit` command:
```bash
git commit -m "Add your-name to Contributors list"
```
replacing `your-name` with your name.
## Push changes to GitHub
Push your changes using the command `git push`:
```bash
git push -u origin your-branch-name
```
replacing `your-branch-name` with the name of the branch you created earlier.
If you get any errors while pushing, click here:
- ### Authentication Error
remote: Support for password authentication was removed on August 13, 2021. Please use a personal access token instead.
remote: Please see https://github.blog/2020-12-15-token-authentication-requirements-for-git-operations/ for more information.
fatal: Authentication failed for 'https://github.com//first-contributions.git/'
Go to [GitHub's tutorial](https://docs.github.com/en/authentication/connecting-to-github-with-ssh/adding-a-new-ssh-key-to-your-github-account) on generating and configuring an SSH key to your account.
Also, you might want to run 'git remote -v' to check your remote address.
If it looks anything like this:
origin https://github.com/your-username/your_repo.git (fetch)
origin https://github.com/your-username/your_repo.git (push)
change it using this command:
```bash
git remote set-url origin git@github.com:your-username/your_repo.git
```
Otherwise you'll still get prompted for username and password and get authentication error.
## Submit your changes for review
If you go to your repository on GitHub, you'll see a `Compare & pull request` button. Click on that button.
Now submit the pull request.
Soon I'll be merging all your changes into the main branch of this project. You will get a notification email once the changes have been merged.
## Where to go from here?
Congrats! You just completed the standard _fork -> clone -> edit -> pull request_ workflow that you'll often encounter as a contributor!
Celebrate your contribution and share it with your friends and followers by going to [web app](https://firstcontributions.github.io/#social-share).
If you'd like more practice, checkout [code contributions](https://github.com/roshanjossey/code-contributions).
Now let's get you started with contributing to other projects. We've compiled a list of projects with easy issues you can get started on. Check out [the list of projects in the web app](https://firstcontributions.github.io/#project-list).
### [Additional material](docs/additional-material/git_workflow_scenarios/additional-material.md)
## Tutorials Using Other Tools
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| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [GitHub Desktop](docs/gui-tool-tutorials/github-desktop-tutorial.md) | [Visual Studio 2017](docs/gui-tool-tutorials/github-windows-vs2017-tutorial.md) | [GitKraken](docs/gui-tool-tutorials/gitkraken-tutorial.md) | [Visual Studio Code](docs/gui-tool-tutorials/github-windows-vs-code-tutorial.md) | [Atlassian Sourcetree](docs/gui-tool-tutorials/sourcetree-macos-tutorial.md) | [IntelliJ IDEA](docs/gui-tool-tutorials/github-windows-intellij-tutorial.md) |