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Git & Github Fundamentals:Version Control for Beginners
Status: This talk is in preparation - details may change
Git & GitHub Fundamentals: Version Control for Beginners
Monday, 2 February | 15:00 – 16:00
BDI/OxPop seminar room 1
Learn the essential skills to track your code, manage project history, and back up your work like a professional software developer. This beginner-friendly course introduces Git, the industry-standard version control system used by millions of developers worldwide. Starting from scratch, you’ll learn how to initialise repositories, track changes, and create meaningful snapshots of your work through commits. We’ll cover the fundamental Git workflow – staging, committing, and reviewing your project history – giving you the confidence to manage your code effectively. In the second half, we’ll connect your local projects to GitHub, the world’s leading platform for hosting and sharing code. You’ll learn to push your work to the cloud, pull updates, and clone existing repositories, ensuring your projects are safely backed up and accessible from anywhere.
By the end of this course, you’ll have hands-on experience with:
1. Creating and managing Git repositories
2. Tracking changes and viewing project history
3. Writing clear commit messages
4. Connecting local projects to GitHub
5. Pushing and pulling code to the cloud
6. Cloning repositories
Led by – Dr Mcebisi Ntleki, DPhil, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford
This session will cover:
1. Introduction to Git & Initial Setup
2. Creating Your First Repository
3. The Core Git Workflow
4. Viewing and Managing Changes
5. Connecting to GitHub
6. Pushing, Pulling, and Cloning
Learning Objectives:
1. Initialise Git repositories and track changes to project files
2. Stage and commit changes with clear, descriptive commit messages
3. View project history and inspect differences between file versions
4. Connect local repositories to remote GitHub repositories securely
5. Push local commits to GitHub and pull updates from remote repositories
6. Clone existing repositories from GitHub to their local machine
Intended Audience:
Undergraduates, graduates and early researchers; No prior experience required – just bring your laptops, curiosity and willingness to learn!
To register here – forms.office.com/e/F0YGjvRWJR?origin=lprLink
40 minutes: A judicious mix of presentation and practical
15 minutes: Practical exercise
05 minutes: Questions & Answers
Pre-Course Preparation – To make the most of this session, please complete the following tasks before attending: Install Git Download and install Git on your computer from git-scm.com.
Date:
2 February 2026, 15:00
Venue:
Big Data Institute, Old Road Campus OX3 7LF
Venue Details:
Seminar room 1
Speaker:
Dr Mcebisi Ntleki (University of Oxford)
Organising department:
Big Data Institute (NDPH)
Organiser:
Sumeeta Maheshwari (University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address:
sumeeta.maheshwari@ndph.ox.ac.uk
Host:
Professor Thomas Nichols (University of Oxford)
Booking required?:
Required
Booking url:
https://forms.office.com/e/F0YGjvRWJR?origin=lprLink
Booking email:
sumeeta.maheshwari@ndph.ox.ac.uk
Cost:
free
Audience:
Members of the University only
Editor:
Sumeeta Maheshwari
