New Here? How To Set Up GitHub, Cursor, and Your Dev Environment for IrregularChat Hackathons
Welcome! If you’re new and want to join future hackathons, here’s your guide for getting set up.
This post covers:
-
Setting up GitHub + sending your username
-
Setting up Cursor for coding together
-
Setting up your local terminal for Git + SSH
Part 1 — GitHub Setup (Required)
GitHub is where all our hackathon projects live.
Step 1: Create a GitHub Account
Go to: https://github.com/
Make an account if you don’t already have one.
Step 2: Send Your Username to @sac
Send a DM with your GitHub username so you can be added to the org.
Also check out the IrregularChat GitHub people list:
Follow people from the community — it’ll help you stay in the loop.
Step 3: Check Your Access
Try to access the org page:
Once added, you’ll have access to repos and project boards.
Part 2 — Cursor Setup (Recommended)
Cursor is a coding editor built on VSCode — but with built-in AI help.
Download: https://cursor.so/
Step 1: Login
Sign up with GitHub for easy access.
Step 2: Add the Codapt Extension
Search in the Extensions tab for “Codapt” — this will make GitHub repo setup faster.
Step 3: Open Your First Repo
After joining IrregularChat GitHub, clone a project repo like this:
In Cursor:
-
Open Command Palette (CMD/CTRL + P)
-
Type:
Git: Clone -
Paste the repo link (example:
https://github.com/gitayam/dotfiles.git)
Step 4: Git Commands Inside Cursor
To commit and push code changes:
-
Make your changes
-
Open Source Control tab (sidebar)
-
Write a commit message
-
Hit Commit & Push
Most of the time you’ll only need:
-
git pull(get latest code) -
git add .(add your changes) -
git commit -m "message"(save your changes) -
git push(send changes to GitHub)
Part 3 — Terminal SSH Setup (Optional but Best Practice)
SSH keys let you securely connect to GitHub from your terminal without typing your password every time.
Steps:
Step 1: Check for SSH Key
In your terminal run:
ls ~/.ssh
If you see id_rsa.pub or id_ed25519.pub — you already have one.
Step 2: Generate SSH Key
If you don’t have one:
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "[email protected]"
Hit enter through the prompts.
Step 3: Add SSH Key to GitHub
Show your key:
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
Copy it and go to:
https://github.com/settings/keys
Click “New SSH Key” and paste it.
Step 4: Test It
ssh -T [email protected]
It should say “Hi yourusername! You’ve successfully authenticated.”
More detailed SSH guide here:
Done! You’re Ready to Build.
Now you’re ready to join the next hackathon.
Repos live here:
Hackathon Rules + Info:
See you in the next sprint!
Tags:
#HackathonOnboarding #GitHubSetup #CursorEditor #SSHKeys irregularchat #MiniVirtualHackathon