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Git Basics

Lesson 03 — Cloning a Repository

Goal

Section titled “Goal”

Copy a GitHub repository to your computer and confirm that Git can see it correctly.

What cloning means

Section titled “What cloning means”

To clone a repository means to download a full working copy from GitHub to your computer.

After cloning, you have:

Diagram showing git clone copying a GitHub repository into a local folder on your computer, including project files, Git history, and the origin connection back to GitHub.

  • The project files
  • The Git history
  • A connection back to the GitHub repository

For this course, learners should work in their own copy of a practice template such as git-basics-sql-practice.

Section titled “Recommended practice setup”

Open the public SQL practice template repository:

  1. Go to BigInformatics/git-basics-sql-practice.
  2. Click Use this template.
  3. Create a new repository under your own GitHub account or training organization.
  4. Clone your new repository, not the course site.

This keeps practice work separate from the course materials.

Checklist

Section titled “Checklist”

1. Find the repository on GitHub

Section titled “1. Find the repository on GitHub”
  • Open your learner-owned practice repository in GitHub.
  • Click the green Code button.
  • Copy the HTTPS URL.

It will look like:

https://github.com/your-account/git-basics-sql-practice.git

2. Choose where to put the project

Section titled “2. Choose where to put the project”

In your terminal, move to a folder where you keep projects.

Example:

Terminal window
cd Documents

3. Clone the repository

Section titled “3. Clone the repository”

Run:

Terminal window
git clone https://github.com/your-account/git-basics-sql-practice.git

Replace the URL with the actual repository URL.

  • The repository downloaded successfully.

4. Move into the repository folder

Section titled “4. Move into the repository folder”

Run:

Terminal window
cd git-basics-sql-practice
  • I am now inside the repository folder.

5. Check status

Section titled “5. Check status”

Run:

Terminal window
git status

Expected result:

On branch main
nothing to commit, working tree clean

The wording may vary slightly. The important points are that you are on a branch and Git does not show unexpected changes.

  • Git says I am on a branch, usually main.
  • Git says my working tree is clean.

6. Confirm the GitHub connection

Section titled “6. Confirm the GitHub connection”

Run:

Terminal window
git remote -v

You should see the GitHub URL for your learner-owned practice repository.

  • origin points to my practice repository.

Completion check

Section titled “Completion check”
  • I can clone a repository.
  • I can move into the repository folder.
  • I can run git status inside the repository.
  • I can run git remote -v to see the GitHub connection.
  • I know whether I am working in my practice repository or the course site.