F4 — The Command Line & Git/GitHub

Track 1: Foundations · Version control from day one

Two tools every developer uses daily, introduced without fear. The terminal is just talking to your computer with words, and Git is an undo button for your entire project.

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⌨️ The command line, demystified

It's a text way to tell your computer what to do. You only need a handful to start:

• pwd — where am I? (print working directory)
• ls (or dir on Windows) — what's here? (list files)
• cd foldername — go into a folder; cd .. — go back up
• mkdir name — make a folder

That's enough to navigate. You'll learn more as you need them — nobody memorizes them all.

⏳ Git — your project's time machine

Git tracks the history of your project so you can undo, compare, and never lose work. The everyday loop:

1. git init — start tracking a project (once)
2. git add . — stage your changes
3. git commit -m "Add the task list feature" — save a labeled snapshot

Write real messages. "Add task list feature" tells future-you the story; "stuff" tells you nothing.

☁️ GitHub — your work, backed up & shareable

GitHub is where your Git history lives online: a backup, a portfolio, and how you'll collaborate later.

• git push sends your commits to GitHub.
• Add a .gitignore so you never upload secrets or junk (.env, node_modules).

Building good Git habits now means you'll never email yourself a zip file again.

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🛠️ Your mission

Take your F3 to-do list. In its folder: git init, add a .gitignore, make a first commit, create a free GitHub repo, and git push. Share the GitHub link — your first project, version-controlled and public.

✅ You're done when…

• You can navigate folders in the terminal
• Your project has a Git history with real commit messages
• It's pushed to GitHub with a .gitignore

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➡️ Next: F5 — Your First Real (Hand-Built) Project. Build It Right, Or Don't Build It At All. 🏛️