1. Principles and practices

This week I worked on gettting my website up and defining my final project idea. Im also starting to get used to this new documentation process.

Website

Step 1: Install and use VS Code, set up GitLab, and MkDocs

Install Git

1. Download and Install Git:

   Visit the Git official download page. Choose the version of Git for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux). Run the installer and follow the prompts. It’s recommended to leave the default settings, especially for Git Bash.

2. Verify Git Installation:

   Open VS Code’s integrated terminal (Ctrl+~) or use your computer’s terminal.

   Type the following command to verify Git is installed:

git --version

1. If it shows the version of Git installed, you’re all set!

Install Visual Studio Code (VS Code)

1. Download and Install VS Code:

   Go to the Visual Studio Code download page. Select the version for your operating system and run the installer.

2. Open VS Code after installation.

Set Up Your GitLab Account and SSH Key

1. Set Up Your GitLab Account:

   Fab Academy will provide you with a GitLab repository. Log in to GitLab using the credentials provided to you by Fab Academy

2. Generate SSH Key (for secure GitLab connection):

   Open VS Code’s terminal, or open Powershell and run the following command to generate a new SSH key

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_email@example.com"

When prompted to choose a location, just press “Enter” to accept the default (~/.ssh/id_rsa). You can set a passphrase for the key, or just press “Enter” twice to opt out of a passphrase.

1. Add SSH Key to GitLab:

   Copy the public SSH key by running this command:

cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

1. Copy the entire output. Log into GitLab and navigate to Prefrences -> SSH Keys, and paste your SSH key into the provided box. Finally add the key.

2. Test the SSH Connection:

   To verify the connection, run:

ssh -T git@gitlab.fabcloud.org

1. If you see a message saying “Welcome to GitLab, [your username]!”, your SSH setup is complete!

Clone your GitLab Repository to Your Computer

1. Clone the Repository:

   In VS Code, open the integrated terminal. Then, navigate to the directory where you want to store youre project. Clone your repository using this command:

git clone <Your Repository URL>

This will create a folder with your project files.

1. Navigate to the Project Folder:

   Once cloned go into your project folder by running:

cd <file location>

Install Mk Docs for Documentation

1. Install Python (Required for Mkdocs):

   Download Python and make sure to check the option “Add Python to PATH” during installation.

   If Python isnt installed into “PATH”, follow this tutorial

   Make sure you have pip and python by running:

py --version

pip --version

1. Install MkDocs:

   Open the terminal in VS Code and run the following command to install MkDocs:

pip install mkdocs

1. Verify MkDocs Installation:

   After Installation, check if MkDocs is installed by running:

mkdocs --version

Set Up Your Local Repository

1. Check Your Branch:

   Run the following command to check that you are on the main branch:

git branch

1. If you are not on the main branch, switch to it.

Work on Your Project Files

1. Edit Files in VS Code:

   Open the files in VS Code.

Commit and Push Changes

1. Stage Changes:

   Once you’ve made changes to the files, run the following command to stage the changes:

git add .

1. Commit Changes:

   Commit the changes with a message that describes what you did:

git commit -m "Describe your changes"

1. Push Changes to GitLab:

   Push the changes to the main branch of your GitLab repository:

git push origin main

My first push:

Useful links

Downloads

• Python
• Markdown
• Markdown Materials
• VS Code
• Git

Tutorials

• Ai Workflow for Almost Everything
• Python PATH Configuration
• Git Install Settings
• FAB Tutorial on Git
• CMD Promts
• Git Cheat Sheet
• Gitlab and Nueva Slideshow

Other Links

• Teddy Warner’s Week 1 Documentation
• Student Template

People Who Helped Me

• Amalia Bordoloi
• Elle Hahn
• Angel Fang

Problems Encountered

SHH Error

This error was frustrating because I had no idea why I was getting it. After some random trial and error I asked Copilot why this error could be occuring.

I realized that the last time it was workign was when I was at home. It turns out the library wifi was the issue, and after I switched to my phones hotspot, it worked perfectly.

PIP Path Error

I ran into an issue while trying to install mkdocs—the Command Prompt didn’t recognize “pip” as a command. I went through several tutorials on adding pip to the PATH environment variable, repeating the steps multiple times without success. After a few hours of frustration, one tutorial suggested restarting my computer. I did, and that solved the problem!

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Last update: February 12, 2025