B Git and GitHub

There are many reasons to use version control. Git is one option and it is well-integrated into RStudio. GitHub is a free service to store your version controlled projects in the cloud and (optionally) share them with others.

B.1 Get a GitHub account

Go to GitHub and create a new account.

  • Make sure your username is professional
  • Use an email address that you won't lose access to (e.g., gmail)

B.2 Set up RStudio

If you are a UofG INP staff/student, you can access the Glasgow Psychology RStudio site and skip to Set your GitHub info.

If you are working from your own computer, follow the next 2 sub-steps:

B.2.1 Install git

You can check if git is already installed on your computer by going to Shell... under the Tools menu (or just open a terminal window) and typing which git. If you get an answer like /usr/local/bin/git then git is already installed. If not, install git and then use which git to check where it is installed.

B.2.2 Enable version control in RStudio

Go to Global Options... from the Tools menu and set the location of your git executable to the location from the previous step.

Set the location of git

Figure B.1: Set the location of git

B.3 Set your GitHub info

Run usethis::edit_git_config() in the console pane; it will open a file called .gitconfig. Replace GITHUB_EMAIL with the email address you used for github and GITHUB_USERNAME with your github username.

[user]
    email = GITHUB_EMAIL
    name = GITHUB_USERNAME

You can skip the rest of the steps if you are using your own computer because you can use https to access github. If you are using an RStudio server or just want to use SSH, follow the steps below.

B.4 Create an SSH Key on RStudio

  1. Go to Global Options... from the Tools menu
  2. Click Create RSA Key... and enter a passphrase
    Global options

    Figure B.2: Global options

  3. Click on View public key and copy the contents of the box

B.5 Create an SSH Key on GitHub

  1. Go to GitHub > Settings > SSH and GPG keys
  2. Click New SSH Key
  3. Put RStudio server as the title (or My Computer Name if on your own computer)
  4. Paste your public key into the Key box
  5. Click Add SSH key
    Add SSH key

    Figure B.3: Add SSH key