GitHub Foundations Study Plan¶

6-Week Study Schedule¶

Week 1: Git Fundamentals (Domain 1 - Part 1)¶

Day 1-2: Introduction to Version Control¶

• Understand what version control is and why it matters
• Learn the difference between centralized and distributed VCS
• Install Git and configure user name/email
• Create your first local repository with git init
• Review Notes: notes/01-git-basics.md
• Read: About Git

Day 3-4: Core Git Commands¶

• Practice git add, git commit, git status, git log
• Understand the working directory, staging area, and repository
• Learn git diff to compare changes
• Practice creating and viewing commit history
• Practice git stash for saving work in progress
• Read: Getting Started with Git

Day 5-6: Branching and Merging¶

• Create, switch, and delete branches
• Practice merging branches (fast-forward and 3-way merge)
• Understand and resolve merge conflicts
• Learn the difference between merge and rebase
• Practice git checkout vs git switch
• Read: About Branches

Day 7: Week 1 Review¶

• Review all Git commands covered this week
• Complete GitHub Skills: Introduction to GitHub
• Quiz yourself on Git terminology
• Create a cheat sheet of commands

Week 2: GitHub Platform Basics (Domain 1 - Part 2 and Domain 2)¶

Day 8-9: GitHub Account and Platform¶

• Understand GitHub account types (Personal, Organization, Enterprise)
• Learn GitHub plans (Free, Pro, Team, Enterprise)
• Explore GitHub.com interface and navigation
• Set up GitHub profile with bio and README
• Review Notes: notes/01-git-basics.md (GitHub section)
• Read: GitHub Plans

Day 10-11: Working with Repositories¶

• Create repositories (public and private)
• Add README.md, .gitignore, and LICENSE files
• Practice cloning repositories
• Understand forking and its use cases
• Learn about repository templates
• Review Notes: notes/02-github-repos-and-features.md
• Read: Creating a Repository

Day 12-13: Remote Operations and Tools¶

• Practice git push, git pull, git fetch
• Understand the difference between fetch and pull
• Explore GitHub Desktop application
• Try GitHub Mobile app
• Learn basics of GitHub CLI (gh)
• Read: GitHub Desktop

Day 14: Week 2 Review¶

• Review repository management concepts
• Complete GitHub Skills: Communicate using Markdown
• Practice creating repos with different configurations
• Review clone vs fork differences

Week 3: Collaboration Features - Part 1 (Domain 3)¶

Day 15-16: Issues¶

• Create issues with titles, descriptions, and labels
• Assign issues to team members
• Link issues to milestones
• Create issue templates
• Use task lists within issues
• Practice closing issues with keywords in commits
• Review Notes: notes/03-collaboration.md
• Read: About Issues

Day 17-18: Pull Requests¶

• Create pull requests from feature branches
• Write effective PR descriptions
• Create draft pull requests
• Link PRs to issues using keywords
• Understand PR status checks
• Practice requesting reviews
• Read: About Pull Requests

Day 19-20: Code Review¶

• Review pull requests and leave comments
• Use inline suggestions for code changes
• Approve, request changes, or comment on PRs
• Understand the review process workflow
• Practice resolving review conversations
• Read: Reviewing Changes

Day 21: Week 3 Review¶

• Complete GitHub Skills: Review Pull Requests
• Practice the full issue-to-PR workflow
• Review merge strategies (merge, squash, rebase)
• Quiz yourself on collaboration terminology

Week 4: Collaboration Features - Part 2 and Modern Development (Domains 3-4)¶

Day 22-23: Branch Protection and Advanced Collaboration¶

• Configure branch protection rules
• Set up required reviews and status checks
• Create and use CODEOWNERS file
• Understand merge strategies and when to use each
• Learn about notifications and subscriptions
• Review Notes: notes/03-collaboration.md
• Read: About Protected Branches

Day 24-25: GitHub Actions Basics¶

• Understand workflows, jobs, steps, and actions
• Learn common triggers (push, pull_request, schedule)
• Create a basic CI workflow
• Explore the GitHub Actions Marketplace
• Understand GitHub-hosted vs self-hosted runners
• Review Notes: notes/04-modern-development.md
• Read: Understanding GitHub Actions

Day 26-27: Codespaces and Copilot¶

• Understand what GitHub Codespaces is
• Learn devcontainer.json configuration basics
• Understand Codespaces billing and usage
• Learn GitHub Copilot features at a high level
• Understand Copilot plans and availability
• Read: GitHub Codespaces Overview

Day 28: Week 4 Review¶

• Complete GitHub Skills: GitHub Actions
• Review modern development tools
• Practice writing basic workflow YAML
• Review Codespaces and Copilot concepts

Week 5: Project Management, Security, and Community (Domains 5-7)¶

Day 29-30: Project Management¶

• Create a GitHub Project (new style)
• Add table, board, and roadmap views
• Use custom fields and filters
• Create milestones and link issues
• Understand labels and their organization
• Review Notes: notes/05-security-community-projects.md
• Read: About Projects

Day 31-32: Security and Administration¶

• Set up two-factor authentication (2FA)
• Generate and use SSH keys for GitHub
• Create personal access tokens
• Understand Dependabot alerts
• Learn about secret scanning and code scanning basics
• Understand organization roles and permissions
• Read: About 2FA

Day 33-34: Community and Open Source¶

• Understand common open source licenses (MIT, Apache, GPL)
• Learn the fork-and-PR contribution workflow
• Create community health files (CONTRIBUTING.md, CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md)
• Understand InnerSource concepts
• Explore GitHub Sponsors and GitHub Stars
• Learn about GitHub Discussions
• Read: Contributing to Projects

Day 35: Week 5 Review¶

• Review all three domains covered this week
• Practice security setup on a test repository
• Explore open source projects on GitHub Explore
• Quiz yourself on license types

Week 6: Final Review and Exam Preparation¶

Day 36-37: Comprehensive Review¶

• Review all notes files (01 through 05)
• Revisit fact-sheet.md for quick reference
• Focus on high-weight domains (Collaboration 30%, Git 22%)
• Create flashcards for key concepts
• Review all Git commands and their purposes

Day 38-39: Practice and Scenarios¶

• Work through scenarios.md exam-style questions
• Take any available practice tests
• Review incorrect answers and identify weak areas
• Re-read documentation for weak areas
• Practice scenario-based thinking

Day 40-41: Final Preparation¶

• Quick review of all domain summaries
• Focus on key differentiators (fetch vs pull, fork vs clone, etc.)
• Review merge strategies one more time
• Ensure you know GitHub plans and account types
• Skim official study guide one final time

Day 42: Exam Day¶

• Light review of fact sheet only - no heavy studying
• Ensure stable internet connection and quiet environment
• Have valid government-issued ID ready
• Close unnecessary applications on your computer
• Take the exam with confidence

Study Tips¶

Time Allocation by Domain Weight¶

Recommended Daily Schedule¶

• 30 min reading documentation/notes
• 30 min hands-on practice on GitHub
• 15 min reviewing flashcards or key concepts
• Total: ~1.25 hours/day