Using Git Bash on Windows¶
For this course, Windows users are encouraged to use Git Bash as their terminal. Git Bash provides a Unix-like shell environment, making it easier to run commands that are consistent with examples shown in lecture and documentation.
How to Open Git Bash¶
From the Start Menu
Search for Git Bash in the Windows search bar and click to open.
Git should already be installed on most Windows systems.
From File Explorer
Navigate to the folder you want.
Right-click inside the folder window.
Select Show more options → Open Git Bash here.
From VS Code
Open the terminal panel in VS Code.
Click the small arrow (
⌄) next to the + button.Select Git Bash (the default is usually PowerShell).
Why Git Bash?¶
The command syntax matches the Unix shell used on macOS and Linux.
It is widely recommended by computer science instructors and is already included with Git for Windows.