Episode 3 suggests to use git status before initializing a repo, but does not show that

[jdvorak001]

In a solution to a challenge in Episode 3 we say it would be good practice to check the status of the current directory just before issuing git init. But this practice is not actually shown in the lesson.

As a side-effect, the lesson actually introduces git status without being explicit about it.
I find this a bit underhands.

[jdvorak001]

And also, Episode 4 first uses git status in a context where it says "If we check the status of our project again".
I believe we should admit that we are introducing git status in Episode 3 already.

[Sipley]

I agree. The solution to "Places to Create Git Repositories" is a little confusing because the command git status doesn't give the output shown for the example as given. Suggestion: either move "if it looks like the following, you are good to go to create a new repository" earlier in the lesson when introducing git init or change to "if git status returns the following, it's best to avoid creating a new repository to be sure there is no conflicting repository in the directory". Alternatively, maybe combine the "Places to Create Git Repositories" and "Correcting git init Mistakes" sections, emphasizing the solution for the latter & highlighting the solution for the former as a useful tip?

[jdvorak001]

@Sipley, thanks for your comments. I suggested a solution to this issue in my pull request #686, which I have just updated with the latest gh-pages contents. Do you think the changes I suggested there could do the job, or should we try to refactor more?

[Sipley]

If I understood the changes correctly, yes! I think those are great!

[kekoziar]

In preparation of the new workbench lesson infrastructure, #686 was closed with comments which I will echo here:

PRs should be limited to one issue per PR. The submitted PR attempted to do many things, and so the original issue - introducing git status at the very beginning - was lost and never implemented. I happen to tell learners that if they need to remember only one thing, it's git status. I absolutely agree with and approve moving it to prior to git init with explanation. However, there were questions about the other content that was added to the PR. Please submit issues as separate PRs in the future.

Feel free to submit a solution to move git status prior to git init with explanation after the lesson has migrated to the new infrastructure.

[kekoziar]

In preparation of the new workbench lesson infrastructure, #686 was closed with comments which I will echo here:

PRs should be limited to one issue per PR. The submitted PR attempted to do many things, and so the original issue - introducing git status at the very beginning - was lost and never implemented. I happen to tell learners that if they need to remember only one thing, it's git status. I absolutely agree with and approve moving it to prior to git init with explanation. However, there were questions about the other content that was added to the PR. Please submit issues as separate PRs in the future.

Feel free to submit a solution to move git status prior to git init with explanation after the lesson has migrated to the new infrastructure.

For clarification, I usually introduce git status at the very beginning of episode 2. My words are along the lines of Now, we're going to start with what I think is the most important command to learn. If you need to remember one thing, remember this command: git status then I explain what it does, then I ask if anyone received a response other than what was on my screen. I propose a call-out to indicate that this is a good place to check if learners received anything other than the expected response. Then lead into git config

[unode]

Coming from #977, if I understand correctly, introducing git status before git config, in chapter 2, one will need to explain both:

% git status
fatal: not a git repository (or any of the parent directories): .git

and a variation of the next depending on which shell the learner is using:

git: No such file or directory

The first will also require relocating one lesson objective and keypoint from chapter 3 to chapter 2: Git stores all of its repository data in the .git directory. and needs to expand on the explanation that a git repository not only includes a .git sub-directory but also what a parent directory is and that these will be searched as well.

[jdvorak001]

I like the stress you place on the command. I'd just be a bit hesitant to place it in Episode 2 as that one is already extremely packed. I'm proposing #980.