If a learner tries to add a theme, the protected branch will block them from continuing. Let's update the course so we either explicitly say that they should not add a theme, or add some feedback to the response helping them troubleshoot if they try.

When fixed:

• update community forum, the source of the request

As part of https://github.com/github/learning-engineering/issues/52

As part of my UI review of Learning Lab, I conducted 4 usability tests. To conduct a usability test, I had to choose a Learning Lab course to have participants go through. So, this list is what the testers ran into specific to this course. Two of my testers were not software people, one was a devops admin, and one JavaScript engineer. These notes are just ideas up for discussion.

• We could try starting the course with a brief terminology video for repository, issue, branch, commit, and pull request.
  • My two non-software testers weren't familiar with the terminology before starting the course, and left both still having difficulty understanding these five terms. Maybe a link to a short video explaining and showing examples of each of these five things would help? While the course does cover some of these (e.g. issue), three testers mentioned it would be good to have a video or page describing what these things are, and providing examples.
• When asking user to make a branch, we could try suggesting a branch name.
  • My two non-software testers didn't really know enough to know a branch naming strategy, so saying a recommended branch name in the course step might make the process faster.
• We could try removing refs/branch from the branch name when describing the branch in the course issue.
  • Two of my testers stumbled when the branch names didn't match up. The GitHub UI doesn't show refs/branch, but the instructions include that path in the branch name.
• We could try updating the "Fix your Pull Request" step instructions to change from "pencil" to "ellipsis"
  • One of my testers ran into an issue trying to add a pull request description. The instructions reference a pencil, but the icon is actually an ellipsis.
• We could talk about assuming new users will install Learning Lab on all repositories.
  • Three of my testers chose to install Learning Lab on all repositories. There's an "See how it works" video that two of my testers watched. The video spends some time talking about installing Learning Lab per repo. My one tester who wanted to do that got stuck trying to set it up. Maybe it would make more sense to split this into its own separate video, and have the main video just assume all repos. That way people who want to install Learning Lab on separate repos can follow their steps with that video after watching the overall "How it works" video.
• We could try adding more information about the "auth-paths" feature when adding a new file.
  • Two of my testers were confused by the GitHub "auto-path" feature _posts/filename.md. Explaining that GitHub will automatically make sense of the paths would be helpful.
• The completed message did not link to the next course.
  • Two of my testers expected the comment saying they completed the course to link to whatever the next appropriate course to take would be.

As is brought up in the community forum, next time we audit this course, we should change the instructions away from "pencil icon" and into something more generic so that it applies to versions of GitHub with the pencil icon and with the ... hamburger menu.

Bugs

• Step 3 completes successfully, but the next issue link redirects to the current issue [1] instead of [2].
  • Image
• Step 5, activity step 2 does not properly show the users branch name.
  • Image
• Step 6, activity step 3 does not properly show the users branch name.
• Step 6, activity step 4 does not show the user's name
  • Image
• Step 8, follow-up post mistakes a successful merge with an accidental PR close. Lab step remains incomplete.
  • Image
  • Image
• Probably not a bug: Websockets sometimes require a refresh if I take a few minutes between steps, but they reflect the appropriate step each time after the refresh

cc: @JasonEtco

Bug Report

Current behavior
I am attempting to take the class using the command line option. The course seems to be detecting the branch creation, but no action is being taken to move on to the next step.

Reproduction
Steps to reproduce the behavior in the course:

1. Start the class with the command line git option.
2. Complete the class through Step 2.
3. After pushing the new branch, nothing happens.

Expected behavior
I would expect the course to move on to the next step when the branch is created like stated in the directions.

Possible solution
If you have suggestions, we'd love to hear them. If not, that's ok too.

Additional context
GHES v2.19.6, LL v0.5.0

Log message from container:

15:45:49.625Z  INFO probot: Running step handler for create-a-branch (course_id=8, course_repo=16, course_slug=introduction-to-github, user=<removed>, registration_id=5)
15:45:49.626Z  INFO http: POST / 200 - 43.35 ms (id=94d420f0-482e-11ea-998c-8094e1dfcbe5)

/cc @crichID @brianamarie @hectorsector @JasonEtco

Naming the file correctly is one of the most problematic steps for users, as evidence by posts in the community forum and other support requests. I'd like to add a gif showing how to edit the file name to the clarifying instructions given to the user if their file isn't named correctly.

Bug Report

Current behavior
Under "Activity: Your first commit” in "Step 5: Commit a file," it says,

Return to the "Code" tab
In the branch drop-down, select "my-slide"
Click Create new file

But there is no “Create new file” button. Instead, there is an “Add file” button with “Create new file” in a dropdown under the button.

Reproduction
Steps to reproduce the behavior in the course:

1. Go to the “Code” tab.
2. View the absence of a “Create new file” button.

Suggested by @aryansharma1323 in the community forum:

So I finished Introduction to GitHub course using Web UI and now doing it on CLI. In the section “Commit a file”, I was stuck on the error

remote: Invalid username or password.
fatal: Authentication failed for 'https://github.com/username/repository.git/'
despite having right username and password. Turned out I have two-factor authentication enabled which is why I couldn’t access. To find a way around this error, I went to the Developer Settings in the Settings section, generated a token from the “Personal Access Tokens” section, and used it as password in the CLI. By using that personal access token, I could log in and push the changes.

It would be great if the course had something that helped first-time users overcome this issue. Please let me know where I can suggest these changes to the course.

The pages URL is hard-coded to only work for .com. It needs to be corrected for GHES.

https://github.com/githubtraining/introduction-to-github/blob/master/responses/reminder-delete.md

I don't know the proper variables but it's likely to be something similar to what we do in the scripts for the GitHub for Developers course unless there's a better way that would work for both. The info is being used in one of the earlier steps as {{ pagesUrl }}, but that is passed to the step in question and doesn't seem to persist.

.com: https://${CLASS_ORG}.github.io/${REPO_NAME}
GHES: https://${ROOT_URL}/pages/${CLASS_ORG}/${REPO_NAME}

/cc @crichID @brianamarie @hectorsector @JasonEtco

Feature Request

Although courses can be and actually are translated, they make use of videos which can be an important part of the learning process (especially for beginners). However those are available only in English (except for the "What is GitHub" one).

It would be great if those videos could be offered with translated subtitles into different languages, so that someone following the course in, say, Spanish, would be able to at least read the subtitles in Spanish.

I'm willing to make those translations into Spanish, much easier if a transcript is available. Is this possible? How/where should I provide such translations?

Bug Report

Current behavior
Currently in Step 4: Create a branch,

• 2.Clone this repository: It shows a https based link which is kinda obsolete to push changes to remote(Since Aug 13 2021, user id + password based authentication is dropped). So, when we try to push it asks for username and password and it fails.

Reproduction
Steps to reproduce the behavior in the course:

1. Go to Step 4: Create a branch -> Clone the repo with https based link as shown there -> 5. Push the branch to GitHub
2. Execute the command in 5. Push the branch to GitHub:
3. Enter Credentials
4. See error

Expected behavior
Show ssh based URL for clone, git push should work fine then.

Possible solution
Provide ssh based clone URL and ask the user to setup ssh keys as that's the Github way of doing it anyhow now.

Additional context

Bug Report

Current behavior
A clear and concise description of what the bug is (with screenshots).

Reproduction
Steps to reproduce the behavior in the course:

1. Go to '...'
2. Click on '....'
3. Scroll down to '....'
4. See error

Expected behavior
A clear and concise description of what you expected to happen.

Possible solution
If you have suggestions, we'd love to hear them. If not, that's ok too.

Additional context
Add any other context about the problem here. If applicable, add screenshots to help explain.

The template repo relies on reveal.js. At the time we created this course, the only way to utilize reveal.js was through a submodule.

As of earlier today, the submodule was checked out to a 2017 commit, so I did I tried to make this a little easier today.

Today, here are the changes implemented:

• We now consume reveal.js via its Node module
• We no longer use the reveal.js submodule
• Because we rely on GitHub Pages for static hosting, we reference files in the node_modules folder directly

I'll close this out in a couple of days but thought it was worth explaining for folks that might come in behind me trying to make changes to this course.

Feature Request

Describe the problem/friction you are trying to solve
In Step 8: Merge your pull request, under Activity: Merge the pull request, 1. reads:

Click Merge pull request

It is, however, not immediately obvious to the beginner just where the “Merge pull request” button is. Is it at the top of the page? Is it on the Files changed tab we just used?

Describe your ideal solution
Change 1. to

Click Merge pull request below

i.e. add “below” to the end of the line.

Bugs

• Step 3 is missing the link to your Pages site. Missed noting this during round 1.
  • Image
• Persisting Bug: Step 3 completes successfully, but the next issue link redirects to the current issue [1] instead of [2].
  • Image
• Step 6, activity step 3 is too verbose.
  • Image
• Step 7 does not respond appropriately. I received the reverse merge error prompt after creating a successful PR.
  • Image
• Persistent: Websockets sometimes require a refresh between steps, but they reflect the appropriate step each time after the refresh

cc: @JasonEtco

As reported by a user in the community forum, the VS Code instructions may need some minor tweaking:

I am running throough the slideshow training and am using VSCode.  In step 7, the steps say to:

"The first comment on your pull request will have the default text of No description provided. Click on the ... icon located at the top right corner of the comment box, then click on Edit to make an edit"

The version of VSCode I'm working on doens't have an elipsis in that area, it has a pencil icon and in order for the icon to show up, you need to hoover your mouse over the comment field.  Not an issue but maybe the instructions need to be updated so people using this version of VSCode dont get confused.

I don't have VSCode installed so can't verify this is true for all versions. @hectorsector can you confirm? If so, please drop a note here and I can make the update in the course.

A couple of the YouTube links will only send you to private videos.

Video: Exploring a repository - www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8OAwrcMlRw
Using GitHub Issues - www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhj46r5D0nQ
Video: Watching, notifications, stars, and explore - www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocQldxF7fMY

Bug Report

Current behavior
Users are told to "Scroll down to the "GitHub Pages" section". This section doesn't exist anylonger.

Reproduction
N/A

Expected behavior
N/A

Possible solution
Replace text in step 2 "Scroll down to the "GitHub Pages" section" with "In the sidebar locate "Code and automation" section and click on Pages"

Additional context
N/A

Bug Report

Current behavior
The instructions in "Step 6: Open a pull request”, under "Activity: Create a pull request”, say

When you’ve selected your branch, enter a title for your pull request. For example Add Calorion's file

But there’s nowhere to add a title on that screen.

Reproduction
Steps to reproduce the behavior in the course:

1. Go to the 'Pull requests' tab.
2. Click on 'New pull request'
3. In the "compare:" drop-down menu, select "my-slide"
4. When you’ve selected your branch, attempt to enter a title for your pull request.
5. Note that there is nowhere to enter the title.

Describe the bug

Users from the community forum have reported this experience.
After deploying Pages site, there are no controls for progressing through the slideshow.

Link to my Page https://ernest-phillips.github.io/github-slideshow/#/

Based on the developer tools, I expect to see a right arrow control on the bottom right of the screen.
Changing zoom does not help button to appear.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Start the Introduction to GitHub course
2. Complete steps 1-3
3. Go to your deployed GitHub Pages site
4. Try to click through the slideshow

This was tested in:
Google Chrome browser 86.0.4240.111 (mobile also)
Firefox 81.0.2
Safari 14.0

We need to update the associated video content at the same time we update the written content to properly reflect 'main' rather than 'master'.

There have been several times while I'm on comms duty where I need to manually move a course along. Then, I post the instructions that the bot would have posted. It would be much faster to grab these if I could figure out quickly what step I was looking for in the response title, rather than only the descriptive name. This would also match the naming for many of the other courses.

From the community forum:

Could this step be clarified with possible links to the commands? This step was also a departure from previous ones that told the learner exactly what to do, so it could use improvement for that reason as well.

Origin: https://github.community/t5/GitHub-Learning-Lab/Bug-with-pdf-file-reference/m-p/15318/highlight/false#M436

The download of the pdf is not working since there is this error in the browser developer console log

Refused to load plugin data from 'https://lab.github.com/public/introduction-to-github.pdf' because it violates the following Content Security Policy directive: "object-src 'none'".

Is this something within our scope or App-sec since it does not load due to cross origin? @JasonEtco

cc/ @hectorsector

Feature Request

Hi there. This is not my first time to use GitHub. I am an active contributor. But I just
tried this for the sake of a certificate. I expected it but there was none.
This will be more encouraging for others to take if you will be issuing
a certificate for every course completion.

Describe your ideal solution
So, I highly suggest you issue a certificate for every course completion. They need that
for their credentials. Other companies are doing that and they are in demand now.

Feature Request

Describe the problem/friction you are trying to solve
Step 7: Respond to a review says,

Click the Files Changed tab in this pull request
Edit your newly added file
Replace line 5 with something new

But it’s not at all clear to a new user just how to edit the file. There’s no obvious “edit” button (except to edit the title). Eventually I discovered that the “Edit file” command was under the “…” button.

Describe your ideal solution
Include a description of how to enter Edit mode after Step 1.