1.3Getting Around GitHub (Profile, Markdown, Discovery)

You need an account to use GitHub. Here we cover the basic elements you meet in everyday use.

■ Profile Your profile page showcases your repositories and contributions. Placing a README in a public repo named after your username shows its content as an introduction at the top of your profile (the profile README).

■ Markdown GitHub documentation is written in Markdown (the .md extension). Markdown expresses formatting with lightweight syntax and is used widely in Issues, Pull Requests, comments, and READMEs. • Headings, bullet lists, tables, links • Code blocks fenced with and inline code with • Task lists with - [ ] / - [x] to show progress • @username to mention (notify) and #number to cross-reference an issue/PR The README.md is the entry point to understanding a project—state the overview, install/usage, how to contribute, and license concisely. Never put secrets like passwords or API keys in a README (instant leak in public repos).

■ Discovery and following • Topics (keyword tags) on a repo improve discoverability. • Star bookmarks a repo so you can find it later in your Stars list; it also signals interest/popularity. • Watch subscribes to a repo’s update notifications (distinct from Star—starring does not notify you). • Follow tracks a developer’s public activity in your feed. • Gist is a lightweight repository for quickly sharing single files or snippets. For learning, the official GitHub Docs and GitHub Skills (hands-on) are valuable.