Posted by How to download a folder from GitHub on android or Linux
You’ve just found a great open-source project on GitHub and you want to clone it to your computer or mobile phone. But how do you do this? This article will be the perfect guide on how you can download from GitHub on both mobile and Windows. Before heading on to what we need to do, let’s have a small recap of what GitHub stands for.
What Is Github And Why Is It Important?
GitHub is a code hosting platform that’s used by developers all over the world to store and share their code. It’s an essential part of the development process, and it’s where you’ll go to get the code for most open-source projects.
But GitHub isn’t just for developers. It’s also a great resource for anyone who wants to learn more about how code works. You can browse the code for any project on GitHub, and you can even download it and run it on your own computer.
How to Download From Github on Mobile
Okay, so you’ve found the repository you want to download from GitHub and you’ve copied the link. Now what? How do you download it? Don’t worry, the steps are pretty easy to follow. When you are ready to start, head to your GitHub app and follow the steps below:
- Open GitHub and tap on the “Repositories” tab.
- Tap on the “+” in the top-left corner to add a repository.
- Paste the link you copied into the “Enter a Repository URL” field, and then tap on “Add.”
- The repository will now be added to your list of repositories. Tap on it to view its contents.
- Tap on the “Fork” button at the top of the screen to fork the repository. (Don’t worry, you won’t be creating a copy of the repository; you’ll just be forking it so that you can edit and submit changes.)
- The forked repository will now appear in your list of repositories. Tap on it to view its contents.
- In the upper-left corner of the screen, tap on the three lines to open the menu, then tap on “Downloads.”
- Tap on “Download Zip” to download the entire repository as a zip file.
- The zip file will now be downloaded to your Downloads folder. Open it and extract its contents to a location of your choice.
How to Download From Github on Windows
To download from GitHub on Windows, you’ll first need to install Git for Windows. This is a program that allows you to interact with Git repositories, which are how GitHub stores code.
After you’ve installed Git for Windows, follow the steps below to start downloading:
- Open up the program and click on the “Clone or download” button in the top left corner.
- From there, you’ll be able to choose between “Clone repository” and “Download ZIP.” For this tutorial, we’ll be choosing “Clone repository.”
- You’ll need to enter the URL of the repository you want to download. This is the web address of the GitHub page for the codebase you want to download.
- Once you’ve entered the URL, click on the “Clone” button and Git will start downloading the codebase to your computer.
Things To Keep In Mind While Downloading From Github
When it comes to downloading from Github, there are a few best practices that you should follow to ensure your safety and security.
- Make sure you’re only downloading from sources you trust. It’s easy for malicious actors to disguise their code as something safe, so be wary of any unknown repositories or untrusted users.
- Don’t download any software until you’ve read through the user agreement and privacy policy. This ensures that your data is staying private and secure, so it’s worth taking some extra time before making the download.
- Always make sure to double check the link you are using for downloads as well as any files that are associated with the project. You want to make sure nothing is corrupted or (even worse) malicious before downloading it onto your device.
- It is recommended that you run an anti-virus scan on any downloads from GitHub prior to installation. This will help ensure your device remains safe from any potentially malicious code or software vulnerabilities present in the download
By following these simple guidelines, you can easily download from Github safely and securely while avoiding major issues down the line.
I Can’t Download From Github, What Do I Do?
If you have followed all of the steps above and you are still having trouble with your Github downloads, don’t worry, you can easily fix this issue. There can be lots of reasons why you can’t download from GitHub, it could be that your version of OS is out of date or your device is experiencing a few minor glitches.
Whatever the problem is, there are solutions that can help you set things back in place. Let’s take a look at these solutions:
- Make sure you have the latest version of your OS. You might need to download an update or two for everything to work properly.
- Check your internet connection. If you don’t have a strong connection, that could cause problems with downloading from Github.
- Check if there are any special settings or restrictions on your network or computer. If so, make sure that these settings don’t block the download from taking place.
- If you’re downloading from a mobile device, check if there are any app settings that need to be adjusted in order for the download to be processed correctly.
- Don’t forget to clear your cache and cookies once in a while – this can cause issues with downloads too!
- Once you’ve tried all of these tips, it’s time to contact GitHub support in case the issue persists.
You might also find this helpful – How to gain experience in software development.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve shown you how to download from GitHub on both mobile and Windows. We’ve covered the basic and easy steps you can follow while using any device of your choice.
And if you ever experience any issue while trying to download from GitHub, you can apply any or all of the tips above. We hope you found this article helpful! If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below.