How to Upload Your First Project to GitHub Using GitHub Desktop (For Beginners)

💡 What is GitHub?

GitHub is a free website where you can:

• Store your projects safely online
• Share your work with others
• Keep a history of your changes (like a time machine for your code or files)

Think of GitHub as your online folder for your important projects.

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💻 What is GitHub Desktop?

GitHub Desktop is a software you install on your computer that helps you:

• Upload files or projects to GitHub easily
• Track your changes
• Sync your work with GitHub.com without any code

✅ Best for beginners because it uses a visual interface (buttons and menus), not commands.

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🧭 Step-by-Step: Uploading Your Project to GitHub

✅ Step 1: Download and Install GitHub Desktop

• Go to: https://desktop.github.com
• Download for your system (Windows or Mac)
• Install it like any normal software

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✅ Step 2: Sign In to GitHub

• Open GitHub Desktop
• Click “Sign in to GitHub.com”
• Enter your GitHub account (create one at https://github.com if you don’t have it)

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✅ Step 3: Create a New Repository

1. Click on File → New Repository…
2. Fill in:
   • Name: Your project name (e.g., my-first-project)
   • Local Path: Choose the folder where your project is stored on your computer
   • Leave other settings as default
3. Click Create Repository

📌 This makes GitHub Desktop ready to track your folder.

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✅ Step 4: Add Files to Your Project Folder

• Go to the folder you selected earlier
• Copy or create files (e.g., .txt, .py, .html, etc.)
• GitHub Desktop will automatically detect those changes

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✅ Step 5: Commit Your Changes

1. Go back to GitHub Desktop
2. Under the Changes tab, you will see a list of files
3. In the bottom-left corner, write a short message like: Initial commit - added project files
4. Click Commit to main

📌 This step saves the version of your work.

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✅ Step 6: Publish Your Repository to GitHub

• Click the “Publish repository” button on the top right
• Keep the repo Public or make it Private
• Click Publish Repository

📌 Now your project is live on GitHub.com!

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✅ Step 7: View Your Project Online

• Visit: https://github.com/your-username/your-project-name
• You’ll see your uploaded files and folders

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🔁 How to Update Files Later?

If you:

• Add new files
• Make changes in your project folder

👉 GitHub Desktop will detect the changes
👉 Just commit them with a message and click Push origin to update the online version.

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❗ Common Mistakes and Fixes

Problem	Solution
Subfolders not uploaded	Make sure they’re not empty
Project not visible on GitHub	Don’t forget to Push after commit
Can’t find repo online	Double-check the repo name and username

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📝 Final Notes

• You don’t need coding to use GitHub Desktop.
• A README file helps describe your project.
• Make your GitHub profile look clean and professional by uploading real practice projects.