Git is a version control system that intelligently tracks changes in files. GitHub is a cloud-based platform where you can store, share, and collaborate on code which is managed by git. Git and github are essential for writing DataSHIELD packages as they make your package visible and accessible to researchers and other developers.
Tutorials and a detailed explanation of Git and GitHub can be found here.
If you don't already have a Github account, you can sign up here
You need to create two repositories: one for the client-side package and one for the server-side package. Login to your Github account, click 'repositories' and then 'new'. Choose a repository name following the DataSHIELD conventions. The server-side package should be named in the style 'dsMyPackage', and the client-side 'dsMyPackageClient', in camelCase. Fill in the other options and click 'Create repository'.