Getting Started Guide
For Kids, Parents, and Coaches - No Tech Experience Needed!
🤔 What is GitHub?
Think of GitHub Like...
📸 A Photo Album for Your Robot Programs
You know how you take photos and save them to the cloud (like iCloud or Google Photos)? GitHub is like that, but instead of saving photos, it saves your robot programs!
It's Your Special Folder in the Cloud
Imagine you have a special folder on the internet where you can:
- Save all your LEGO robot programs
- Keep them safe forever (they won't disappear)
- Look at them from any computer
- Share them with your friends or teachers
- See when you made each change
That's exactly what GitHub does!
Real-World Example
Remember when you worked really hard on your robot project, and then the computer crashed or you accidentally deleted it? 😢
With GitHub, that can't happen! Your work is always saved safely in the cloud. ☁️✨
⭐ Why Should You Use GitHub?
1. Never Lose Your Work Again! 🎯
The Problem: You spent 2 hours programming your robot to follow a line. Then your friend accidentally deletes the program. All that work... GONE! 😭
The Solution with GitHub: Every time you save to GitHub, it keeps a copy. Even if someone deletes it, you can get it back! It's like having a time machine for your programs. ⏰✨
2. See Your Progress Over Time 📈
GitHub keeps track of every version of your program, like a diary for your robot:
- Monday: "Made robot move forward"
- Wednesday: "Added turn left and right"
- Friday: "Made it follow a black line!"
You can go back and see how much you've learned! 🌟
3. Share Your Cool Projects 🌎
Want to show your grandparents what you built? Or help a teammate who was sick? Just send them a link to your GitHub project!
It's like showing your Minecraft world to friends, but for robot programs.
4. Build Your Portfolio 🏆
By the end of the year, you'll have a collection of all your robot projects in one place. It's like a trophy case for programmers!
Some students even show their GitHub to get into special programs or apply for scholarships later on.
📚 What is "Saving Versions"?
The Video Game Save Analogy 🎮
Have you ever played a video game where you can save your progress at different points?
- Save 1: Just started the game
- Save 2: Beat the first boss
- Save 3: Made it to Level 10
If something goes wrong in Level 10, you can go back to your Save 2, right?
That's EXACTLY what GitHub does with your robot programs!
How It Works
Example: Programming Your Robot
Version 1 (Monday):
"My robot can move forward 10 inches"
✅ SAVED to GitHub
Version 2 (Wednesday):
"My robot can move forward AND turn left"
✅ SAVED to GitHub
Version 3 (Friday):
"My robot follows a line... but wait, now it's broken! 😰"
✅ SAVED to GitHub
No problem! You can go back to Version 2 from Wednesday when everything was working. Then try again! 🎉
🌟 The Magic Part
GitHub keeps ALL your versions forever. You can always go back to any version, any time. It's like having unlimited save slots in a video game!
🚀 How Does SpikePrimeGit Help?
The Problem Without This Plugin
Normally, to save your program to GitHub, you would have to:
- Download your robot program from SPIKE Prime
- Go to GitHub website
- Upload the file
- Type a message about what you changed
- Click Save
That's a lot of steps! Most kids just forget to do it. 😅
The Solution: Automatic Backup! ✨
With SpikePrimeGit, it's super easy:
- Work on your robot program like normal
- Save your program in SPIKE Prime (like you always do)
- Click the "Sync to GitHub" button
- Type a quick note like "made robot faster"
- Done! Your program is backed up! 🎉
💡 Pro Tip
Get in the habit of clicking "Sync to GitHub" after every major change. Think of it like saving your game progress!
Good times to sync:
- When your robot does something new
- Before you try a big change
- At the end of class
- When you're proud of what you made! 😊
🔑 Connecting Safely (Authentication)
What is "Authentication"? (Don't worry, it's simple!)
Big word, simple meaning: Authentication is just a fancy way of saying "proving who you are."
Think About Your School Locker
You have a locker at school, right? Here's how it's similar to GitHub:
Your School Locker:
- 🔒 You have a locker (your personal space)
- 🔑 You have a combination or key (your password)
- ✅ Only YOU can open it (because you know the combination)
- 👮 Teachers can't just open it without permission
Your GitHub Account:
- 🔒 You have a GitHub account (your personal space)
- 🔑 You have a password (your secret key)
- ✅ Only YOU can save files there (because you log in)
- 👮 Nobody else can change your files without permission
Authentication is just GitHub checking that it's really YOU!
How SpikePrimeGit Connects
Here's what happens when you first set up the plugin:
Step 1: You click "Connect to GitHub"
Step 2: GitHub asks: "Do you want to let SpikePrimeGit save files for you?"
Step 3: You say "Yes!" by clicking a button
Step 4: GitHub gives SpikePrimeGit a special "key" (called a token)
Step 5: Now SpikePrimeGit can save files to YOUR GitHub, but only because YOU gave it permission!
It's like: You giving your friend permission to put a book in your locker for you. They can do it because YOU said it's okay!
🛡️ Is This Safe?
Yes! Here's why:
- SpikePrimeGit can ONLY save files to GitHub - nothing else
- It can't read your emails or see your passwords
- You can take away permission anytime you want
- GitHub watches to make sure everything is safe
🔧 Advanced Option: Custom GitHub App
If the SpikePrimeGit GitHub App is not yet available on the marketplace, advanced users can create their own GitHub App to use with the extension. This is completely optional and most users should use the official app when available.
👨👩👧👦 Information for Parents & Coaches
What You Need to Know
SpikePrimeGit is an educational tool that helps students practice good software development habits:
- Version Control: Students learn to save their work incrementally (a professional skill)
- Documentation: They write commit messages explaining their changes
- Portfolio Building: They build a collection of projects to showcase their learning
- Collaboration: Multiple students can work on the same project safely
Privacy & Safety
What Data is Collected?
- ✅ ONLY the robot programs students choose to sync
- ❌ NO personal information
- ❌ NO browsing history
- ❌ NO location data
- ❌ NO analytics or tracking
Where Does Data Go?
- ✅ Directly to GitHub (a trusted, professional platform)
- ❌ NOT to any third-party servers
- ❌ NOT sold or shared with anyone
Full details: Privacy Policy
GitHub Account Requirements
Age Requirement: GitHub requires users to be 13 or older to create an account.
For students under 13:
- Parents can create a GitHub account and let the student use it under supervision
- Create a classroom/team account that multiple students share
- Check your school's policy on educational software accounts
Setting Up for Your Child/Student
You don't need to be technical! Here's what you can help with:
One-Time Setup (15 minutes):
- Help create a GitHub account (free at github.com/signup)
- Create one repository called "spike-prime-projects"
- Install the Chrome extension from the Web Store
- Click "Connect to GitHub" and follow the prompts
After that, students can use it independently!
If You Get Stuck:
- Check the step-by-step setup guide
- Ask your child's teacher or robotics coach
- Search for help on the GitHub repository
Benefits for Coaches & Teachers
- Track Student Progress: See when students work and what they accomplish
- Prevent Lost Work: No more "my project got deleted!" disasters
- Easy Grading: View all student projects in one place
- Team Collaboration: Students can share code and learn from each other
- Portfolio Development: Students graduate with a body of work to show
Questions?
- Technical Help: Troubleshooting Guide
- Privacy Concerns: Privacy Policy
- How Data is Stored: Authentication & Storage
- Report Issues: GitHub Issues
🎉 Ready to Get Started?
Head over to the Setup Guide and get your first project saved to GitHub in just a few minutes!