Project Setup Checklist
Follow these steps every time you start a new mini project or the final project.
1. Create the Repo on GitHub
- Go to github.com and click New Repository (the green button or the + in the top right)
- Name it something descriptive (e.g.,
recipe-site,budget-tracker) - Set it to Public
- Check Add a README file
- Click Create repository
2. Clone to Your Computer
In VS Code: Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+P (Mac) > type "Git: Clone" > paste your repo URL > choose a folder.
Or in GitHub Desktop: File > Clone Repository > select the repo you just created.
3. Create the File Structure
Inside your project folder, create these files and folders:
your-project/
├── index.html
├── css/
│ └── style.css
├── js/
│ └── main.js
├── images/
├── PROPOSAL.md
└── README.md
README.md already exists from step 1. Create everything else.
4. Write PROPOSAL.md First
Do this before you write any code.
- What I'm building (one sentence)
- Who it's for or why I'm building it
- Core features (3 to 5 bullets)
- What I don't know yet (things you need to figure out)
5. Activate GitHub Pages
- Go to your repo on GitHub
- Click Settings > Pages (left sidebar)
- Under "Branch," select main and / (root)
- Click Save
- Wait a minute, then refresh. You will see your live site URL
This is the same process you used for your personal site.
6. Update README.md
Keep this up to date as your project grows.
- What does this project do?
- Link to the live site
- What did I learn?
7. Link from Your oim3690 Repo
Open the README.md in your main oim3690 repo. Add a link to your new project repo so everything is connected in one place.
Quick Reference
| Step | When |
|---|---|
| Create repo + clone | Day 1 |
| Write PROPOSAL.md | Day 1, before coding |
| Set up file structure | Day 1 |
| Activate GitHub Pages | Day 1 |
| Update README.md | Throughout the project |
| Link from oim3690 repo | After creating the repo |