The DevForge Workbook

This is where the 10 PR Journey starts. Milestone 1 is to open a pull request here that signs the workbook: you add one file with your name on it.

Your first PR goes to us, not to a stranger. If something goes wrong, it costs a teammate five minutes, not a maintainer's afternoon.

📖 The full journey, all ten milestones: https://www.devforge.club/workbook

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What you'll do

You'll create one new file, signatures/<your-github-username>.md, and open a pull request to add it.

Each person gets their own file, so a whole batch can sign on the same evening without anyone hitting a merge conflict.

Step by step

1. Fork this repository

Click Fork at the top right of this page. That gives you your own copy at github.com/<you>/workbook.

2. Clone your fork, not this repo

git clone https://github.com/<your-github-username>/workbook.git
cd workbook

3. Make a branch before you touch anything

git checkout -b sign/<your-github-username>

⚠️ The #1 mistake: committing on main. If your PR ends up showing other people's files, close it, make a fresh branch from an up-to-date main, and start again.

4. Create your signature file

Copy the template and rename it to your exact GitHub username. Letter case matters.

cp signatures/_template.md signatures/<your-github-username>.md

Then open it and fill it in:

# Your Name

- **GitHub:** @your-github-username
- **Batch:** 2026
- **I'm here to:** one honest line about what you want from open source
- **One thing I've built:** a link, or "nothing yet" — both are fine

The two things most people get wrong:

• # Your Name is a placeholder. Replace Your Name with your real name and keep the # , for example # Asha Rao.
• Keep the @. The line must read - **GitHub:** @your-username, exactly as shown. The automated check reads it.

5. Commit and push

git add signatures/<your-github-username>.md
git commit -m "Sign the workbook: <your name>"
git push -u origin sign/<your-github-username>

6. Open the pull request

Go to your fork on GitHub and click Compare & pull request. Check that:

• base repository: NST-DEVFORGE/workbook · base: main
• head repository: <you>/workbook · compare: sign/<your-github-username>
• the Files changed tab shows exactly one file

Fill in the PR template and open the PR.

7. The bot checks it, then merges it

Within a minute of opening your PR, the Validate signature check runs, and the workbook bot comments on your PR:

• Something to fix? The comment lists every problem and how to fix it.
• All good? The bot merges your PR automatically and leaves a few polish tips for next time.

8. Fix problems on the same PR

Fix what the bot's comment lists, on the same branch, then commit and push. The check re-runs by itself and the comment updates.

git add .
git commit -m "Fix signature"
git push

⚠️ Do not close the PR and open a new one. Push to the same branch.

9. Merged? Log it on the portal

Copy your PR URL (https://github.com/NST-DEVFORGE/workbook/pull/<number>), paste it into Milestone 1 on the workbook page, and write your reflection. The portal checks the PR against GitHub before recording it.

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Done when

• You worked on a branch, not on main, and your PR shows one file changed
• The Validate signature check is green
• The bot merged your PR
• You submitted it on the portal, with your reflection, and a council member signed it off

Rules for this repo

• Only add your own file. Don't edit anyone else's signature, this README, or the template.
• One PR per person. If you get stuck, ask in the club group. Don't open a second PR.
• Be yourself. "Nothing yet" is a perfectly good answer. Nobody here is grading your CV.

Stuck?

Problem	Fix
PR shows lots of files	You committed on main. Sync your fork, git checkout -b a new branch from main, re-add your file, open a new PR, and close the old one.
Check says the filename is wrong	The filename must be your GitHub username exactly, in signatures/, ending in .md.
Check says the GitHub line is wrong	It must read - **GitHub:** @<your username>, matching the account that opened the PR.
git push asks for a password	GitHub no longer accepts passwords here. Use GitHub CLI (gh auth login) or a personal access token.
Your fork is behind main	Click Sync fork on your fork's GitHub page, then git pull on main locally.

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Maintained by DevForge. Signatures are checked and merged by the workbook bot; reflections are signed off by the governance council.