Manual: How to Install Git and GitHub on Windows, Linux, and macOS, and Download a Private Repository

Table of Contents

1. Installing Git
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • macOS
2. Setting Up GitHub
   • Creating a GitHub Account
   • Generating SSH Keys for GitHub
3. Cloning a Private GitHub Repository
   • Using HTTPS
   • Using SSH

1. Installing Git

a. Windows

1. Visit the official Git website to download Git for Windows.

2. Run the installer once downloaded.

3. Follow the installation prompts:

   • Choose default options unless specific preferences are needed.
   • Ensure that "Git Bash" and "Git GUI" are selected.

4. Once installed, open Git Bash (a terminal interface for Git commands) to verify the installation by running:

   git --version
   

   You should see the Git version number displayed.

Additional Resources:

• Git for Windows Setup Guide

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b. Linux

Ubuntu/Debian-based systems:

1. Open your terminal.

2. Update your package list by running:

   sudo apt update
   

3. Install Git using the following command:

   sudo apt install git
   

4. Verify the installation:

   git --version
   

Fedora/CentOS/RHEL:

1. Open the terminal.

2. Install Git by running:

   sudo dnf install git
   

3. Verify the installation:

   git --version
   

Additional Resources:

• Official Git Linux Installation Guide

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c. macOS

Method 1: Using Homebrew (Recommended)

1. Open the Terminal.

2. Install Homebrew if it's not installed yet by running:

   /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
   

3. Install Git using Homebrew:

   brew install git
   

4. Verify the installation:

   git --version
   

Method 2: Xcode Command Line Tools

1. Open the Terminal.

2. Run the following command to install Git via Xcode Command Line Tools:

   xcode-select --install
   

3. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.

4. Verify the installation:

   git --version
   

Additional Resources:

• Homebrew Git Installation
• Official Git macOS Installation Guide

2. Setting Up GitHub

a. Creating a GitHub Account

1. Go to the GitHub website.
2. Click on Sign Up and follow the prompts to create your account.
3. After signing up, verify your email address to activate the account.

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b. Generating SSH Keys for GitHub

SSH keys allow secure connections between your machine and GitHub without the need to enter a username and password repeatedly.

Windows, macOS, or Linux:

1. Open your terminal (Git Bash on Windows).

2. Generate a new SSH key by running:

   ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_email@example.com"
   

   Replace "your_email@example.com" with your actual GitHub email address.

3. Press Enter to accept the default file location.

4. Set a passphrase if desired, or press Enter to skip.

5. Add the SSH key to the SSH agent:

   eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
   ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa
   

6. Copy the SSH key to your clipboard:

   • For Linux/macOS:

     cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
     

   • For Windows (Git Bash):

     clip < ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
     

7. Go to your GitHub SSH settings and click New SSH Key.

8. Paste the SSH key into the key field and click Add SSH Key.

3. Cloning a Private GitHub Repository

There are two ways to clone a private repository from GitHub: using HTTPS or SSH.

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a. Cloning Using HTTPS

1. Visit your private repository on GitHub.

2. Click the Code button, and copy the HTTPS URL.

3. Open your terminal and run the following command:

   git clone https://github.com/username/repository.git
   

   Replace username and repository with the respective repository's owner and name.

4. When prompted, enter your GitHub username and Personal Access Token (you may need to generate this from your GitHub account settings under Developer Settings → Personal Access Tokens).

Additional Resources:

• GitHub: Creating Personal Access Tokens

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b. Cloning Using SSH

1. Ensure you've set up your SSH key (see Generating SSH Keys for GitHub).

2. Visit your private repository on GitHub.

3. Click the Code button, and copy the SSH URL (it starts with git@github.com:).

4. Run the following command in your terminal:

   git clone git@github.com:username/repository.git
   

   Replace username and repository with the repository's owner and name.

5. If prompted, enter the passphrase for your SSH key.

Additional Resources:

• GitHub: Connecting to GitHub with SSH

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Conclusion

Now, you have successfully installed Git on your operating system, set up your GitHub account, and learned how to clone a private repository.