Step 1: Install Git on Your System
 

Git must be installed locally before you can clone any repositories. Choose your operating system below:

• Windows: Download and run the installer from https://git-scm.com/download/win and follow the setup wizard.
• macOS: Install via Homebrew.
• Linux (Debian/Ubuntu): Install via APT.

Use these commands on macOS and Linux:

brew install git

On Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt update
sudo apt install git

 
Step 2: Configure Git with Your Identity (Optional but Recommended)
 

Setting your name and email helps Git record authorship of your commits:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"

 
Step 3: Copy the Repository URL from GitHub
 

Navigate to the repository page on GitHub. Click the green “Code” button and copy either the HTTPS or SSH URL.

• HTTPS format: https://github.com/username/repo.git
• SSH format: [email protected]:username/repo.git

 
Step 4: Open a Terminal or Command Prompt
 

Launch your terminal (macOS/Linux) or Git Bash/Command Prompt (Windows). Change to the folder where you want to place the project:

cd path/to/your/desired/folder

 
Step 5: Clone the Repository
 

Run the git clone command followed by the URL you copied:

git clone https://github.com/username/repo.git

Replace the sample URL with your repository’s actual URL.

 
Step 6: Verify That the Repository Has Been Cloned
 

Enter the newly created directory and list its contents to confirm:

cd repo
ls

 
Step 7: (Optional) Check Out a Specific Branch
 

If the repository has multiple branches, you can list and switch as follows:

git branch -a
git checkout branch-name