Computer Setup for IST263

In this class you will use tools and workflows that web developers use in the industry. Also, it is a lot more efficient than using the typical LMS. It will seem foreign when you start but be a little patient & persistant.

A separate page gives guidance for working with GitHub once you have created your account there: work-with-github.

1. Integrated Development Environment (IDE)

If you have used programs like MS-Word, you have used an IDE. IDEs are specialized programs that provide features and tools that make your development process efficient. Just like you would use MS-Word to write and format papers, resumes, or letters we will use something similar in this class to write HTML, CSS and some Javascript.

VS Code

You can download the free version from https://code.visualstudio.com/download. Choose the correct installer based on your computer OS.

Once the download is complete, launch the installer and follow the steps.

2. GitHub

GitHub is a web-based server for managing code. It helps a team of developers to contribute together to a single project. It also provides a way to store your code remotely and then display it via the browser using the GitHub Pages function.

Follow these steps to configure your GitHub account.

Setting up GitHub

Step 1: Signup for a Free GitHub Account. If you already have a GitHub Account skip to step 2

  1. Go to github.com
  2. Click Signup
  3. Choose a username like netid-su. !Important: Use all lowercase, no spaces or punctuation, but dashes are OK.!
    Example: My username would be dwtalley-su
  4. You can use your SU email
  5. Click 'Create an Account'
  6. In the next page choose 'Unlimited Public repositories for free' plan.
  7. Click 'Continue'
  8. Choose the appropriate boxes in the next step
  9. Click 'Submit'
  10. You should have received an email from GitHub. Open the email and click 'Verify your email address' to complete the process. You now have a GitHub account.
  11. You will need your GitHub username and password to access GitHub over the course of the semester, so make a note of them.

Step 2: Create your personal GitHub repository, which you'll use to post homework and project files:

  1. While logged in at github.com, click your user icon at the far upper right of the screen.
  2. (Optional: Choose Your Profile from the menu and upload an icon image of your choice.)
  3. From the menu, choose Your Repositories, then choose New.
  4. Enter a name for your new repostory !Important: Use all lowercase, no spaces or punctuation, but dashes are OK.
    Follow this convention for all foldler and filenames, including image files. This precaution will save you endless tedious hours debugging your code over the semester.
  5. We will create some folders in the repository together during our class lab time.
  6. Finally, create a folder on your PC's file system for IST263 files.
    You'll download assignment starter files from GitHub and upload your work from here to GitHub for display and to Blackboard for grading, so be sure you know where this folder resides on your PC.

Step 3: Enable GitHub Pages web display:

  1. With your new GitHub repo displayed on screen, click the sprocket icon at upper right to open repo Settings.
  2. Scroll down to the GitHub Pages heading. (Keep scrolling! It's down there.)
  3. Under Source, choose the drop-down selector and select 'master branch.'
  4. Scroll down to the GitHub Pages heading again and look for this text and link:
    'Your site is ready to be published at https://[your-username].github.io/[your-repo-id]/
  5. Click that link, which should open a 404 (not found) error page.
  6. Bookmark the URL anyway, and we'll start to put content in place during in-class lab time.