Edit files
View the file you want to edit (as explained above).
👉 Click on the pen icon on the top right of the file pane (shortcut
E) to open the editor.
Text files are in Markdown .md format, which is plain text yet renders nicely on github. Additionally, this format can be converted automatically to other ones (.docx, .pdf, .html). You can probably figure out the Markdown syntax by example, but here is a neat cheat sheet for reference.
For small changes (typos, etc.), this editor is fine. For more extensive changes, you can copy the content in your favorite plain text editor, for example, Notepad, Notepad++, Visual Studio Code, etc. Then paste the modified content back in the editor. Keep in mind that if you lose your internet connection, you might lose your changes! That is another reason to use your own local editor for extensive changes. Just ensure you are sacing the file as plain text, with the .md extension.
You can preview your changes in the Preview tab at the top of the editing pane.
👉 Edit the file in the text box (or in your own plain text editor).
Tips:
✓ Focus on the content, not on fromatting.
✗ Avoid line breaks within a paragraph, use two line breaks between paragraphs.
✗ Avoid using tab characters.
When you are done editing:
👉 Click on the green
Commit changesbutton, top right.👉 Add a short but specific Commit message (less than 50 characters).
👉 Add an Extended description of your changes (optional).
👉 Select the
Create a new branchoption, and pick a branch name (the default is usually fine).👉 **Click on
Propose changes.
Tip: Commit often! It is much easier to review a series of small changes that are all realted to ONE thing, rather than a large commit that is all over the place.
On the "Pull request" page that opens, the title you entered is copied in the Title box at the top; that's why it was important above! In the text box you can enter further information to start a discussion thread about this proposed changes. On the right, you may pick specific reviewers, set labels, etc. Each pull request becomes a proposed change that can be reviewed and discussed, modified, etc.
👉 Click on
Create pull request
