Install GitHub Desktop on Debian 11: Easy Steps To Boost Your Projects

In this guide, you will learn to Install GitHub Desktop on Debian 11. GitHub Desktop is a desktop application for Windows, MacOS, and Linux platforms. It allows you to work with projects on GitHub and GitHub Enterprise. You can add projects to create, develop, and track the project in a helpful graphical interface (GUI). Now follow the guide steps below on the Orcacore website to Install GitHub Desktop on Debian 11.

To complete this guide, log in to your server as a non-root user with sudo privileges. To do this, you can follow our guide on Initial Server Setup with Debian 11.

Now follow the steps below to complete this guide and Install GitHub Desktop on Debian 11.

Set up GitHub Desktop Client on Debian 11

The GitHub Desktop client app is not officially available for Linux systems. You need to use GitHub Desktop – The Linux Fork by ShiftKey. This is a community-maintained fork that provides the desktop experience on Linux.

First, update your local package index with the following command:

sudo apt update

Download ShiftKey

Now you need to download ShiftKey by using the following wget command:

sudo wget https://github.com/shiftkey/desktop/releases/download/release-3.2.1-linux1/GitHubDesktop-linux-3.2.1-linux1.deb

Note: The download link might change depending on the latest release. Always check the ShiftKey GitHub repository for the most up-to-date version.

Install gdebi

Install gdebi using the following command, which helps you to install local deb packages, resolving and installing its dependencies:

sudo apt install gdebi-core -y

GitHub Desktop Installation on Debian 11

At this point, you can install the GitHub desktop client with the commands below:

sudo gdebi GitHubDesktop-linux-3.2.1-linux1.deb

Launch GitHub Desktop

At this point, you can easily launch your GitHub desktop app by using the following command:

github-desktop

Also, you can access your GitHub desktop by simply clicking on the Activities link of the Taskbar or pressing the Windows key on your keyboard to search GitHub.

At this point, you can log in with GitHub.com or GitHub Enterprise as per your account to manage Git repositories directly on your Debian 11.

Update GitHub Desktop App

You can easily update your app by running the system update:

# sudo apt update
# sudo apt upgrade

Uninstall GitHub Desktop from Debian 11

If you no longer want to use the GitHub Desktop app, you can use the following command to remove it from your server:

sudo apt-get remove github-desktop

Conclusion

GitHub Desktop is used for managing repositories by providing tools for cloning, committing, pushing, pulling, and collaborating. At this point, you have learned to Install GitHub Desktop on Debian 11.

Hope you enjoy this guide. You may also be interested in these articles:

Install and Configure Jenkins on Debian 11

Initial Server Setup with Debian 10

FAQs

Alternative Solutions for Git Management on Debian 11

While GitHub Desktop (via the ShiftKey fork) provides a GUI for Git, there are alternative, powerful ways to manage your Git repositories directly from the command line on Debian 11. These methods offer more flexibility and control, especially for experienced developers.

1. Using the Git Command-Line Interface (CLI) Directly

The most fundamental way to interact with Git repositories is through the command-line interface (CLI). This method is universally available on Linux systems and provides complete control over Git’s functionality.

Explanation:

The Git CLI allows you to perform all common Git operations, such as cloning repositories, creating branches, committing changes, pushing to remote repositories, and pulling updates. It’s a powerful tool that, while initially requiring a learning curve, becomes incredibly efficient and versatile with practice. Understanding the underlying Git commands is crucial for any serious software developer.

Example Workflow:

Let’s say you want to clone a repository, make changes, and push them back to GitHub. Here’s a typical workflow using the Git CLI:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/your-username/your-repository.git
   cd your-repository

2. Create a new branch for your changes:

   git checkout -b feature/new-feature

3. Make your changes to the files in the repository.

4. Stage your changes:

   git add .  # Adds all changed files

5. Commit your changes with a descriptive message:

   git commit -m "Add new feature and fix bug"

6. Push your branch to GitHub:

   git push origin feature/new-feature

   This command pushes your local branch feature/new-feature to the remote repository (origin) on GitHub. You can then create a pull request on GitHub to merge your changes into the main branch.

Advantages:

• Flexibility: Complete control over all Git operations.
• Universality: Available on all systems with Git installed.
• Efficiency: For experienced users, CLI can be faster than GUI tools.
• Scripting: Easy to automate Git operations with scripts.

Disadvantages:

• Learning Curve: Requires understanding of Git commands and concepts.
• Complexity: Can be more complex for beginners than GUI tools.
• Visual Feedback: Lacks the visual feedback of a GUI.

2. Using GitKraken: A Cross-Platform Git GUI

GitKraken is a cross-platform Git GUI client that provides a visually appealing and intuitive interface for managing Git repositories. It’s an alternative to GitHub Desktop and offers a broader range of features.

Explanation:

GitKraken simplifies complex Git operations with its drag-and-drop interface and visual representations of branches, commits, and merges. It supports multiple repositories, Gitflow workflows, and integration with popular services like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket. While it’s not open-source like GitHub Desktop (ShiftKey fork), it offers a free version with sufficient functionality for many users.

Installation on Debian 11:

GitKraken doesn’t come as a .deb package directly, but you can easily install it using Snap.

1. Install Snapd: If you don’t have Snapd installed, you’ll need to install it first:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install snapd

2. Install GitKraken via Snap:

   sudo snap install gitkraken

3. Launch GitKraken: You can now launch GitKraken from your application menu or by running the command gitkraken in the terminal.

Advantages:

• Intuitive Interface: Easy to learn and use, even for beginners.
• Visualizations: Clear visual representation of branches, commits, and merges.
• Cross-Platform: Available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Integration: Supports integration with popular Git hosting services.

Disadvantages:

• Not Open-Source: The free version has some limitations.
• Resource Intensive: Can be more resource-intensive than the Git CLI.
• Snap Dependency: Requires Snapd to be installed.

By exploring these alternative solutions, you can choose the Git management approach that best suits your skill level, workflow preferences, and project requirements on Debian 11. Whether you prefer the raw power of the command line or the visual convenience of a GUI client like GitKraken, Debian 11 offers the tools you need to effectively manage your Git repositories.