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LaGuardia Community CollegeLAGCC TTPR Handbook

Get Started

Complete this section during your first days in the program. Each step builds on the last, so work through them in order.

👤 Create a GitHub Account

GitHub is where you will store your code, submit assignments, and build a visible portfolio of your work. Every project you complete will live here.

Steps:

  1. Go to github.com (opens in new tab) and click Sign up.
  2. Choose a professional username — your name or initials work well. Avoid handles that are hard to share with employers.
  3. Verify your email address before moving on.
  4. Fill out your profile: add your name, a photo, and a short bio.

Why it matters: Employers often look at GitHub profiles. Starting early gives you more time to build a good one.

🔑 Set Up SSH Keys

SSH keys let you push code to GitHub without entering your password every time. You generate a key pair — a private key that stays on your computer and a public key you share with GitHub.

Check if you already have a key:

ls ~/.ssh

If you see id_ed25519 or id_rsa, you may already have one. If not, generate a new key.

Generate a new SSH key:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"

Press Enter to accept the default file location. Add a passphrase if you want extra security.

Start the SSH agent and add your key:

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Copy your public key:

cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

Copy the output. Then go to GitHub → Settings → SSH and GPG keys → New SSH key and paste it in.

Test the connection:

ssh -T git@github.com

You should see: Hi username! You've successfully authenticated.

Common errors:

  • Permission denied (publickey) — the key was not added to GitHub or the agent. Re-check both steps above.
  • Could not open a connection — your SSH agent may not be running. Run eval "$(ssh-agent -s)" again.

✍️ Personalize a GitHub Profile README

A profile README shows up on your GitHub profile page. It is one of the first things people see when they look you up.

How to create it:

  1. Create a new repository with the exact same name as your GitHub username.
  2. Check the box to initialize it with a README.
  3. Edit the README to introduce yourself.

Starter template:

# hi, i'm [your name] 👋

I'm a student in the TTPR program at LaGuardia Community College,
learning full-stack web development.

## what i'm learning
- HTML, CSS, JavaScript
- React and Node.js
- Git and GitHub workflows

## projects
_Coming soon — check back as I build things!_

## contact
- GitHub: [@yourusername](https://github.com/yourusername)

Keep it simple and honest. You can improve it as you build more projects.

🔁 Local Git Workflow Basics

These are the five commands you will use every day.

Clone a repository to your machine:

git clone git@github.com:username/repo-name.git

Stage your changes:

git add filename.js
# or stage everything:
git add .

Commit with a message:

git commit -m "Add login form validation"

Push to GitHub:

git push

Pull the latest changes:

git pull

For a deeper reference, see the Git & GitHub handbook.

📋 First-Day Checklist

Work through this list before the end of your first session:

  • GitHub account created and email verified
  • Professional username chosen
  • Profile photo and bio added
  • SSH key generated and added to GitHub
  • SSH connection tested successfully (ssh -T git@github.com)
  • Profile README repository created
  • Profile README published with your name and learning goals
  • First repository cloned locally
  • First commit made and pushed to GitHub