Initial Setup

Overview

The easiest way to get up and running is to review our First Look video.

For step by step training videos on the processes described in this document, visit Copia’s YouTube channel.

Register an Account

Once you have signed up with Copia, you should be given access to your Organization so that you can sign-in and register. If you have not signed up, contact Copia and request a free demo.

Invite Team Members

If you would like to add your colleagues to Copia right away, see the sections on Registrations and Billing and also Teams & Permissions.

Are you migrating from another git-based repository? If so, jump to the Migrations section for more information!

First Steps

As seen in the video above, when you create an account with Copia, we automatically create an example repository that you can use to work through and understand our Source Control tool.

A repository is like a folder. It is a collection of files managed by Git. You'll always be able to find this repository at https://app.copia.io/{org-name}/example, where {org-name} is the one you created during account setup.

If you've been added to a repository by someone you work with, you can choose to use it to become familiar with Copia's basic tasks.

Additional documentation around downloading and using the desktop app (seen in the video) are provided below.

Download and Install the Desktop App

We highly recommend that engineers leverage the Copia Desktop App. It allows you to store and push changes without ever opening the Web App.

The Desktop App is available here for download -- you can also find it by clicking on the caret next to your avatar and clicking the Download Desktop App button.

Run the installer. After the wizard completes, you should see a configuration screen. Enter the Name and Email you used to register your Copia account and click the Continue button. This information is added to your commits to identify you.

After entering your name and email, you'll need to sign in to the Copia Desktop App. You can do this by navigating to File > Options > Accounts. If your Organization uses Copia's typical cloud-hosted service, click the "Sign In" button beneath app.copia.io. If your Organization is running Copia in a self-hosted environment, click the "Sign In" button beneath "Copia Enterprise".

Clone a Repository

Now that the Desktop App is installed and you've logged in with your Copia credentials, it's time to clone our example repository from the Web App. Cloning is covered in higher detail here. There are two ways to clone a repository.

Choosing a Repository from the Desktop App

In the Desktop App, choose the Clone a Repository from the internet option.

You should see your example repository. Any other repositories that already exist under your organization will also be listed. Choose the example repository to continue.

The cloning process should begin and you will soon see your example repository rendered in the Web App.

Choosing a Repository from the Web App

Navigate to the repository you wish to clone -- which in our case is the example repository. Click the Create Clone dropdown button and choose the Open in Desktop App option.

The Desktop App should prompt you with a cloning screen. The first thing we need to enter is the repository URL.

Copy the repository URL to your clipboard by clicking the Copy button.

Paste the URL into the the Repository URL field. You will also need to select a local path to download the example repository to. Click Clone to continue.

After the cloning process completes, you should see the example repository in the upper left-hand corner of the Desktop App.