Ramblers Documentation

Training for Webmasters

Coding 1: How to Clone the ra-tools Repository

Prerequisites

  • A GitHub account (sign up at github.com if you don't have one)
  • Git installed on your computer (download from git-scm.com)
  • Basic familiarity with command line/terminal

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Open your terminal or command prompt

On Windows: Press Win + R, type cmd, and press Enter

On Mac: Press Cmd + Space, type terminal, and press Enter

On Linux: Press Ctrl + Alt + T

Step 2: Navigate to the directory where you want to store the repository

Use the cd command to navigate to your preferred location:

cd ~/projects

Or create a new directory first:

mkdir ~/git
cd ~/git

Step 3: Clone the repository

There are two methods to clone the repository:

Method 1: HTTPS (Recommended for beginners)

git clone https://github.com/CharlieBigley/ra-tools.git

Method 2: SSH (Recommended if you have SSH keys set up)

git clone This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.:CharlieBigley/ra-tools.git

Step 4: Navigate into the cloned repository

cd ra-tools

Step 5: Verify the clone was successful

Check the repository status:

git status

You should see a message indicating you're on the main branch with a clean working directory.

Note: If you plan to contribute to the project, you may want to fork the repository first on GitHub, then clone your fork instead. This allows you to push changes to your own copy before submitting a pull request.
Tip: To fork the repository, visit https://github.com/CharlieBigley/ra-tools, click the "Fork" button in the top-right corner, then clone your forked repository using your GitHub username.

What's Next?

Now that you have the repository cloned, you can:

  • Configure your development environment (see "How to configure VS Code")
  • Download additional dependencies for development
  • Create a branch for your changes

Troubleshooting

Permission Denied Error

If you get a permission error, make sure you have the necessary permissions to access the repository or use HTTPS instead of SSH.

Git Not Recognized

If you get a "git not recognized" error, ensure Git is properly installed and added to your system's PATH.

Slow Clone Speed

If the clone is very slow, check your internet connection or try cloning with --depth 1 for a shallow clone:

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/CharlieBigley/ra-tools.git