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IT 140 Main Course Wiki

Welcome to the IT 140 - Introduction to Scripting main course wiki.

The GC-STEM/it140 repository is the central technical hub for the IT 140 course environment. It connects the course automation, development status, and GitHub repositories used for course activities.

You normally do not clone this repository. Follow the README for the assignment or project you are completing. That README tells you how to create or open your personal GitHub repository and its local clone. The course automation obtains the files it needs from the central repository automatically.

Where Should I Start?

I am setting up IT 140 for the first time

Go to the Module One Setup Tasks repository:

https://github.com/GC-STEM/it140-m1-setup-tasks

That repository contains the current step-by-step instructions for:

• Setting up your GitHub account
• Configuring the Codio Virtual Desktop (CVD)
• Setting up the course IDE on a supported local computer
• Troubleshooting initial setup problems

Its wiki can help you choose a setup path:

https://github.com/GC-STEM/it140-m1-setup-tasks/wiki

I am working on an assignment or project

Follow the instructions in your IT 140 course in Brightspace. Those instructions identify the public course repository for the activity.

Then begin with that repository's top-level README.md. The README provides the current workflow for creating or opening your personal private repository and working in its local clone.

Do not use GitHub's Fork or Use this template buttons for IT 140 assignment or project repositories unless a current course instruction specifically tells you to do so.

See Course Repositories to learn how the different IT 140 repositories and repository copies fit together.

I want to understand the course software

See Course IDE and Tools.

I was told to run or rerun a course script

See Course Automation for an overview of what the scripts do. Then follow the exact instructions provided in the Setup Tasks repository or your course.

I am checking whether something is available or has a known issue

Check the current status information in the main repository README:

https://github.com/GC-STEM/it140

Then see Status-Issues-and-Discussions if you need to report a problem or ask a question.

What Is in the Main Course Repository?

The main repository contains course-wide technical resources such as:

• Course automation scripts
• Shared configuration used by those scripts
• Course IDE status information
• Links to assignment and project repositories
• Course-wide technical documents
• Development and support resources

Some folders are intended for course developers, faculty, testers, or technical support. You do not need to understand every file in this repository to succeed in IT 140.

What This Wiki Is For

This wiki explains the parts of the IT 140 technical environment that apply throughout the course.

• Course IDE and Tools — Learn what software makes up the IT 140 development environment.
• Course Repositories — Understand the public course repositories, personal repositories, and local clones used for assignments and projects.
• Course Automation — Learn what Prepare, Install, Configure, Verify, and Update mean.
• Course Status — Find the authoritative live status location without duplicating the status table in the wiki.
• Status-Issues-and-Discussions — Choose the right place to report a problem or ask a question.

The wiki is informational. When a wiki page and an activity README provide different instructions, follow the current activity README and your course instructions.

Two Repositories with Different Jobs

Module One Setup Tasks

Repository: GC-STEM/it140-m1-setup-tasks

Use it for:

• First-time setup
• GitHub account setup
• CVD setup
• Local Windows, macOS, or Linux setup
• Platform-specific setup troubleshooting

Main Course Repository

Repository: GC-STEM/it140

Use it for:

• Course-wide technical information
• Course automation information
• Current development and operational status
• Links to activity repositories
• Course-wide GitHub Issues and Discussions

Keeping these purposes separate helps prevent the same setup instructions from being maintained in two places.

A Good Rule for GitHub Repositories

When you open an IT 140 repository for the first time:

1. Start with its top-level README.md.
2. Follow the README's current repository workflow instead of using GitHub's Fork or Use this template buttons.
3. Follow links from the README to the activity or folder you need.
4. Use the instructions for the current course activity.
5. Do not edit course-managed scripts, configuration, reference files, or tests unless an activity specifically tells you to do so.

You will become more familiar with repositories, Markdown, Git, and GitHub as you use them throughout IT 140.