🚀 Step 2: Repository Setup

Fork the project and enable GitHub Pages

🎯 What You'll Accomplish

By the end of this step, you'll have your own copy of the experiment framework deployed as a live website that anyone can visit. This gives you a foundation to build and test your own psychology experiments.

📋 Prerequisites

If you haven't completed these, go back to Step 1.

🔧 Setup Instructions

1. Fork This Repository

  1. Go to the original repository: https://github.com/Build-Gravity/britt-lab
  2. Click the "Fork" button in the top right
  3. Choose your GitHub account as the destination
  4. Keep the default repository name or choose your own
  5. Click "Create fork"
💡 What's a fork? A fork creates your own copy of the project that you can modify without affecting the original.

2. Enable GitHub Pages

  1. In your forked repository, click "Settings" (in the top menu)
  2. Scroll down to "Pages" in the left sidebar
  3. Under "Source", select "Deploy from a branch"
  4. Choose "main" branch and "/ (root)" folder
  5. Click "Save"
⏱️ GitHub Pages takes 1-5 minutes to build. You'll get a green checkmark when it's ready. You can proceed to step 3 while you wait.

3. Clone to Your Computer

To edit the code locally:

  1. Click the green "Code" button in your repository
  2. Copy the HTTPS URL
  3. Open your terminal/command prompt
  4. Navigate to where you want the project folder
  5. Run this command (replace with your actual URL):
git clone YOUR-REPO-URL-HERE
  1. Open the folder in your code editor

4. Find Your Website URL

Build your GitHub Pages URL using your information:

💡 Repository Name Tips: Avoid spaces and special characters in repository names. If you use spaces, we'll automatically convert them to hyphens for your URL.
https://YOUR-USERNAME.github.io/YOUR-REPO-NAME/

Opening Locally:

To view your project locally while developing:

  1. Navigate to your cloned project folder
  2. Double-click on index.html to open it in your browser
  3. Or right-click → "Open with" → choose your browser
  4. The URL will look like: file:///path/to/your/project/index.html
💡 Local vs GitHub Pages: Local files let you test changes instantly, while GitHub Pages shows your live website to the world.

🚀 Ready for Step 3: Build Your Experiment

Once your GitHub Pages site is deployed, it's time to create your own experiment!

Quick Test:

  1. Visit your GitHub Pages URL to confirm it loads
  2. Navigate to Step 3 and try our Rock-Paper-Scissors demo
  3. Open browser developer tools (F12 → Console tab)
  4. Watch the console output when you click buttons
🎯 What's Next: In Step 3, you'll see how our demo works, then create your own experiment folder and build your first interactive psychology experiment. You'll work locally on your computer while testing the concepts we demonstrate.

🔧 Troubleshooting

Site not loading?

  • Wait 5-10 minutes - GitHub Pages can be slow to build
  • Check the "Actions" tab in your repo for build status
  • Make sure you selected "main" branch and "/ (root)" folder

404 error?

  • Double-check your URL spelling
  • Make sure the repository is public (not private)
  • Try adding /index.html to the end of your URL
← Step 1: Environment Setup Next: Build Your First Experiment →

Step 2 of 7 - Repository Setup Complete