Introducing schoolchildren to git and github… Is it worth it? And where to start?

Question

git

I lead a circle of Informatics and I have an idea in the second half of the year, when schoolchildren move on to their projects, drive them to github.
Problems:
1. I don't know anything about git and github
2. I haven't come across projects that use version control
3. Working with git and github entails a trail of knowledge that is not taught in school
Why do I still want
1. I think this will be helpful for the children. “Future programmers” go to the circle
2. As the children move on to practical work on projects, time is freed up for theory.
3. It's cool.

They are interested in the assessments of “they will pull it - they will not pull it”, or maybe the complexity of children's work is not such as to fence the garden and so on.
I will find the materials myself. Here is a good article.habrahabr.ru/post/125799/

Opinions are interesting.

Answer 1

1. It is definitely worth it.
2. Start with a local repository for each project. Show how cool it is to have a log of all changes and roll back to any version. Git in the console, I would not be in a hurry, it's better to use the IDE tools to work with it. Then organize joint development, create a repository with write access to everyone (because it's easier). For one thing, you yourself will understand the intricacies. And there you can show the forge of open source: github, bitbucket, etc.
Another useful article on the topic:
habrahabr.ru/post/125999/

Answer 2

And what is the task? Get familiar with github or version control systems?
git is complicated.
And it will be difficult for you to explain the advantages of such systems if you have not worked with them. Having worked, you can no longer not use them - they give so many advantages.

Answer 3

No, give them general information about the principles of versioning, the tasks that version control tools solve.

Answer 4

It is possible, and necessary, but not just like that (because it is fashionable), but by organizing joint work on some project. Then all the advantages of using a version control system will come out. With proper organization of the process and motivated students, you can do cool things.

Answer 5

I also think git is hard. I tried to show on my mug what it is and how to use it, but the children did not like it. The need to roll back something is quite rare. If you work alone, this degenerates into a backup on not very large projects. Actually, the need to restore something or look at the history of the children did not arise for six months - we just add features to the task.
It might be worth looking at Mercurial (I heard it has simpler logic) and Subversion - the latter is very straightforward, but still a version control system. Tickets can also be posted in Trac/Redmine.
I think that the whole miracle of VCS can be fully understood only on a collective project, as noted above
And I strongly recommend that you fully understand the topic at least two weeks before the lesson and draw up an approximate lesson plan, otherwise something important will be forgotten and you will have to jump inside the story.

Answer 6

I would try to start with Mercurial, because it offers simple solutions for simple tasks, and in Git "you can easily shoot yourself in the foot."
For projects use bitbucket or code.google.com

Answer 7

I also recommend using bitbucket.org and mercurial

Answer 8

Not worth it. It is worth introducing them to GIT only when they themselves realize the need for it (as well as any other version control system) to use it. At a minimum, this is a joint work on one fairly large project from different places.
Yes, the basic features of GIT are quite simple, the main thing is not to teach commands, but why and when they are needed. It’s just that if they don’t understand the essence of all these systems with violent training, then later they will be afraid of them like fire. It will be too difficult to understand the essence by studying the commands first.

Answer 9

I think Bitbucket (the same git) will be more interesting to them, since the design / interface there, IMHO, will be more pleasant for an unprepared audience. And to tell or not, depends primarily on the children, if they are interested in this, then of course it’s worth it!