Git & GitHub - lesson 2 | HackIndia Skills

Key point

One safe rule

Start Git at the root of one project, then keep private, generated, and machine-specific files out of commits.

A recruiter should see source code, setup files, and docs. They should not see your .env, node_modules, venv, build output, or personal editor settings.

Choose the root

The repo root is the main folder for your project. It is usually the folder that contains package.json, requirements.txt, pyproject.toml, or your main app folder.

Do not run git init in your Desktop, Downloads, college lab folder, or inside a folder that already has another .git folder.

Your to-do

Check before init

Do each one yourself, then tap it to tick it off. The ticks are only a checklist for you: they are not marked or scored.

Open your project folder in VS Code or a terminal.
Run pwd on macOS/Linux or cd on Windows to confirm where you are.
Run ls -a on macOS/Linux or dir /a on Windows to check files.
Look for an existing .git folder. If you see one, stop and understand which repo you are inside.
Run git init only when you are in the correct project root.

0 of 5 done

Example

Safe first setup

This example is for a Node project. The same idea applies to Python, Java, Flutter, or any stack: ignore installs, secrets, logs, and build output.

cd my-college-project
git init

cat > .gitignore <<'EOF'
# installs
node_modules/

# secrets
.env
.env.local

# logs
*.log

# build output
dist/
build/

# OS and editor files
.DS_Store
.vscode/
EOF

git status

Common mistake

Do not commit secrets

A .env file often has API keys, database URLs, JWT secrets, or payment keys. If it reaches a public GitHub repo, assume it is leaked.

Instead, commit a sample file that shows the names of required variables without real values.

.env.example

MONGODB_URI=
JWT_SECRET=
RAZORPAY_KEY_ID=
RAZORPAY_KEY_SECRET=

Tip

Use AI carefully

You can ask ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude to create a .gitignore for your stack. Give it your tech stack and folder names.

Check the result before using it. It should not ignore real source folders like src, app, pages, components, or backend. It should ignore dependency folders, build output, logs, and local secrets.

Prompt:
Create a .gitignore for a MERN project with React in client and Express in server. We use .env files in both folders. Do not ignore source code.

Your to-do

Make first commit

Do each one yourself, then tap it to tick it off. The ticks are only a checklist for you: they are not marked or scored.

Run git status and read the list before adding anything.
Add only safe files with git add, not blindly if you are unsure.
Commit with a simple message like chore: initialise project repo.
Run git status again and confirm the working tree is clean.

0 of 4 done

git status
git add .gitignore README.md package.json package-lock.json src server client
git commit -m "chore: initialise project repo"
git status

Your to-do

Do this now

Do each one yourself, then tap it to tick it off. The ticks are only a checklist for you: they are not marked or scored.

Find the correct root folder of your HackIndia project.
Create or update .gitignore for your stack.
Create .env.example if your app uses environment variables.
Run git status and check that secrets and installs are not listed.
Make your first safe commit.

0 of 5 done

Set up your repo safely

One safe rule

Choose the root

Check before init

Safe first setup

Do not commit secrets

Use AI carefully

Make first commit

Do this now

Quick check