Welcome to project 16x16! If you are new to the GitHub and open source world, we recommend you to take a look at this 10 minute read introduction.
First, you need to make a copy of this repository to be able to modify it on your side. This is called a fork. To fork Project 16x16, simply go to the repository page and click on the Fork button 
located at the top right corner.
Then, you will need to download git. Git is a version-control system for tracking changes in source code. It is used through the command line or third-party software.
Here are three options for software to use git. If you want to get started without too much hassle and command lines, then we strongly suggest using GitHub Desktop or Source tree. Otherwise, if you really like command lines, then check out the instructions for git.
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| git | GitHub Desktop | Source tree |
You have a fork of the project on your GitHub account (the cloud). Now you need to get a local version on your computer. Here is how to do so:
- Open command prompt if you are on Windows or open Terminal if you are on a mac
- Navigate to where you want your project to be cloned. In command prompt, type
cd directory/to/where/you/want/your/projectfor example:cd C:/Users/Noodleman123/Desktop/Programming/Java - To clone the project, execute
git clone https://github.com/your-github-username/Project-16x16/a valid url could be:https://github.com/Noodleman123/Project-16x16/ - Execute
cd Project-16x16to go in the project directory - Execute
git checkout masterto have the right files, the ones that are being developed.
Here is a summary of all the commands:
cd directory/to/where/you/want/your/project
git clone https://github.com/your-github-username/Project-16x16/
cd Project-16x16
git checkout master
Every now and then, it is a good practice to sync your local version to the cloud version origin. This is particularly useful to stay up to date and avoid merge conflicts:
git pull
You should execute these 2 commands every time you complete a task:
git add .
git commit -m "a description telling what you modified/added"
The first command adds everything that has been modified to the history of your local version control. The second command will group the changes in a commit with a description.
You should save your local work on your forked GitHub when you accomplish something. If your computer breaks, at least your code will be safe in the cloud 👍
git push
That's it for the git setup! Now, you are ready to open up the code editor. Don't forget to come back to this file when you are ready to know about the Process of Making Changes.
Download GitHub Desktop
| Step | Screenshot |
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| Follow the installation wizard |  |
| Click on Clone a repository from the internet... |
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| Select your fork of Project-16x16, navigate to where you want the project to be cloned and Clone |
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Choose the master branch or thebranch you want to contribute to |
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Every now and then, it is a good practice to sync your local version to the cloud version origin. This is particularly useful to stay up to date and avoid merge conflicts:
It is recommended to create a commit every time you complete a task:
| Step | Screenshot |
|---|---|
| At the bottom left, fill in the summary and the description box (if necessary). Then press on commit to master. This will create a commit in history on your local computer. |
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| To update your commit to your fork, simply press on Push origin |
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That's it for the GitHub Desktop setup! Now, you are ready to open up the code editor. Don't forget to come back to this file when you are ready to know about the Process of Making Changes.
Download Source tree
Warning Two-factor authentication is required for your GitHub account to continue...
| Step | Screenshot |
|---|---|
| You need to create a Bitbucket Cloud account to use Source tree. But you have the option to connect with Google or Microsoft. |
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| Follow the installation wizard |  |
| Uncheck Mercurial, we only need git. |  |
| Click on Add an account... |  |
| Set the hosting service to GitHub, set the Preferred Protocol to HTTPS, set Authentication to OAuth, and click on Refresh OAuth Token |
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| Link your GitHub account to Source tree |  |
| Select Project-16x16 and click on Clone |  |
| Navigate to where you want to clone the project and Clone |
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Every now and then, it is a good practice to sync your local version to the cloud version origin. This is particularly useful to stay up to date and avoid merge conflicts:
It is recommended to create a commit every time you complete a task:
| Step | Screenshot |
|---|---|
| Add the files you modified to the staged files by clicking on the plus. Only staged files will be included in the commit. |
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| Write a description and commit. This will create a commit in history on your local computer. |
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| To update your commit to your fork, simply press on Push |
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That's it for the Source tree setup! Now, you are ready to open up the code editor. Don't forget to come back to this file when you are ready to know about the Process of Making Changes.
You are now ready to contribute! Github represents tasks as issues. You can find all of the issues here or in the Issues tab of the repository. If you found a bug, would like to add a feature or simply do not find something interesting to contribute to, then you can create your own issue.
A pull request is the final step to contribute something. A request should be made when you complete a "milestone" or resolve an issue. Here is how to open one:
| Step | Screenshot |
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| Go to the project 16x16 GitHub repository and click on Pull requests |  |
| Click on the big green Pull request button |  |
Click on compare across forks. The Head repository should be your fork, and the Base should be Stephcraft/Project-16x16. Be sure to choose the right repository and the correct branch which is usually master. |
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| Add a title, a description and tags (if necessary). |  |
| Your pull request will be reviewed by a collaborator shortly | 🎉🎉 |