How do I start using Git and GitHub — I find it really confusing?

Git IS confusing at first for almost everyone — it has a lot of commands and the mental model isn't obvious. The trick is to ignore 95% of it initially and learn the tiny core that covers daily use. You can be productive with about 6 commands; the rest you learn as needed. Here's the beginner-sane path: First, the mental model (this is what most explanations skip, and it's why Git feels confusing): - Git = a tool that saves snapshots of your project over time (version history), so you can see what changed, go back to earlier versions, and never lose work. Think 'save points in a video game' for your code. - GitHub = a website that hosts your Git projects online — a backup, a place to share code, and a portfolio. Git is the tool (runs on your computer); GitHub is the online home for it. They're related but not the same thing (this confusion trips up tons of beginners). The core workflow — learn these 6, ignore the rest for now: 1. `git init` — turn a folder into a Git-tracked project (once per project). 2. `git add .` — stage your changes (tell Git 'include these in the next snapshot'). 3. `git commit -m "description"` — take the snapshot, with a note about what changed. This is your save point. 4. `git push` — upload your commits to GitHub. 5. `git pull` — download changes from GitHub (relevant when working across machines or with others). 6. `git status` — check what's going on (your best friend; run it constantly — it tells you what's staged, changed, etc.). The daily loop, in plain terms: make changes → `git add .` → `git commit -m "what I did"` → `git push`. That's it. That single loop covers the vast majority of real usage. Repeat it every time you finish a chunk of work. Getting your first project onto GitHub (the practical start): 1. Make a free GitHub account. 2. Create a new empty repository on GitHub (it shows you the exact commands to run afterward — literally copy-paste them). 3. In your project folder: `git init`, `git add .`, `git commit -m "first commit"`, then the `git remote add` and `git push` commands GitHub gave you. 4. Refresh GitHub — your code is there. First time is fiddly; after that it's routine. How to not break things (beginner fears, addressed): - Commit often with clear messages. Frequent small commits = more save points = easier to recover and understand your history. When in doubt, commit. - You almost can't permanently lose committed work — that's Git's whole point. The scary commands (that rewrite history/force things) you simply don't need yet, so you won't hit them. Stick to the core loop and you're safe. - Use `git status` before add/commit to see exactly what you're about to save — removes the 'what's happening' anxiety. - Learn branches LATER (once solo commit/push is comfortable). Branches are important for teams but add confusion early; you can version-control solo projects perfectly well on the default branch for now. Tools that reduce the confusion: a visual Git client (GitHub Desktop, or the Git panel built into VS Code) lets you do add/commit/push with buttons instead of memorizing commands — totally legitimate for beginners, and many pros use GUIs too. Start with a GUI if the terminal intimidates you; learn the commands gradually. The reframe: don't try to 'understand all of Git' before starting — that's the mistake making it feel impossible. Learn the 6-command core loop, use it on a real project TODAY, and let the deeper concepts (branches, merges, the fancy stuff) arrive when a real need forces them. Everyone was confused by Git at first; you get comfortable through repetition of the simple core, not through understanding the whole thing upfront. Version-control your very next project, even a tiny one, and the fog clears with use.