GitGoing - Computer Science GitHub Webinar!

I really do believe that collaboration among developers is one of the keys to the success of any program. One of the ways we can collaborate is with the use of version control systems like Git.

When I was first learning how to code, I was always curious about how I could collaborate with others. I really liked the emphasis on writing code that is readable to other developers.

When version control became essential

It was not long after I started working with colleagues and classmates that the need to learn version control became essential. We were working on huge projects that required multiple developers working on the same files and folders simultaneously.

Overcoming the fear of breaking things

I was personally stressed at first because I had heard that you can mistakenly push code that would ruin other people’s work. But I’m really glad that I overcame that fear and learned Git myself.

Learning Git on my own

The way I learned Git was by first learning on my own. I set up a GitHub account and installed Git on my local machine, trying out the commands and seeing the results on the GitHub website. It was really fun seeing my first commit message and seeing the files in the past. For me, it really felt like magic.

Learning with classmates

But I knew at the time that learning Git alone wasn’t going to cut it. I understood the importance of Git as a way to collaborate with other people, and I knew I wasn’t doing myself any favor by learning alone. I needed someone to practice with.

I’m really lucky that I had classmates who already knew how to use Git. I got plenty of help from them until I became confident on my own.

From student to instructor

From that point forward, managing codebases and projects on development teams became easier than ever. I was able to instruct other people on what to do, what commands to use, and the reasoning behind them.

GitGoing - the talk

Eventually, I got the opportunity to be a Special Guest Speaker at our University of Caloocan City’s “GitGoing - Computer Science GitHub Webinar.” I was really honored to be invited to share the stage with Genrey O. Cristobal, Seiffer Salupado, and Red Ivan Igot to talk about the importance of Git and GitHub.

The impact

The talk has become a requirement for lower years to attend. We had over 1,000+ students learning and understanding the importance of Git and GitHub in software development, and many students in other departments have been requesting similar talks.

Looking back

It was really an AWESOME experience for me. Standing on that stage, I believe this talk has transcended my understanding of Git and GitHub in many levels than it was before. The pressure was undeniable, but looking back at it, I believe it was worth it.

I’m forever grateful to God, my professors at the University of Caloocan City who believed in me, to the Computer Science Council for organizing, to Genrey for the invitation, and to my friends and family.

Credits

Banner - Creative Committee led by Gwyneth Uy of Computer Science Council

Special Guests and Speakers - Genrey O. Cristobal, Jhon Keneth Ryan B. Namias, Seiffer Salupado, Red Ivan Igot.

GitHub: github.com/PP-Namias | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pp-namias | Portfolio: namias.tech