←Back to Java Programming Learning Path
Overview
Start with the Coach Pratt GitHub Tutorial
Playlist: Coach Pratt — GitHub Tutorial Playlist · 7 videos · ~45 minutes total
Before diving into Java, learn the basics of Git and GitHub with Coach Pratt. Git is important because it keeps a history of your code and lets you go back to an earlier version—much like version history in a word-processing document. This beginner-friendly tutorial teaches Git through GitHub Desktop, a free GUI (Graphical User Interface) — so beginners can make a real commit* in ten minutes without memorizing command‑line syntax. Same teacher as the Java tutorial, so the voice and pacing carry over.
* What is a commit? A commit is a saved snapshot of your code that records the changes you’ve made, so you can track them and return to that version later.
Before Java
Watch and complete this series of YouTube tutorials before beginning the Learn Java tutorial set. You will need to use GitHub in order to get started with the Learn Java tutorials.
Your Steps
1: Install GitHub Desktop. 2. Create a free GitHub account. 3. Watch the first video in the Coach Pratt — GitHub Tutorial Playlist, and immediately repeat the steps from the video on your own machine. 4. Repeat step 3 for all 7 videos.
5: After you have completed Steps 1-4 above, make a throwaway repo and run the full loop — create, commit, edit, push, clone back — without rewatching. (You should know what these terms mean after watching the videos.)
Now you are ready to go onto the next step on the Left Brain – Java Programming Learning Path