The-FellowShip-of-the-Code-2026

Guide: GitHub & The Red Book of Westmarch

This guide explains how to work, submit, and document your work for the Application Design & Development course.

Table of Contents

• Guide: GitHub \& The Red Book of Westmarch
  • 1. Setting up Your Development Environment
  • 2. Updating The Red Book
  • 3. Submission \& Workflow
  • 4. Networking \& Peer Feedback (Lord of the Tweets)
  • 5. AI Usage Guidelines
  • 6. Grading
  • 7. General Tips

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1. Setting up Your Development Environment

1. Create a new GitHub account: github.com/join.
   1. Set your GitHub username to your team name.
2. Create a new repository named The-Fellowship-of-the-Code-2026.
3. Initialize the repository with a /README.md file.

4. Create the following project structure in the repository:

    The-Fellowship-of-the-Code-2026/
    │
    ├── README.md  ← The Red Book of Westmarch (index)
    ├── chapters/  ← chapters of The Red Book (e.g., "chapter-1-setting-out.md")
    └── artifacts/ ← artifacts of The Fellowship Companion
         └── artifact-x/ ← specific artifact (e.g., "artifact-1-situation-intent.md")
              └── src/   ← flowcharts (*.mermaid.md), wireframes (images), code (*.html, *.css, *.js)
   

5. Open the repository in GitHub Codespaces:
   • In GitHub, open your repository.
   • Click Code -> Codespaces -> Create codespace on main.
   • Wait until VS Code (web) starts.
6. Fill /README.md using our template:
   • Open /templates/readme.md.
   • Copy the structure/content into your repository root /README.md.
   • Replace placeholders with your team-specific content.
7. Install these minimal VS Code extensions in Codespaces:
   • Markdown All in One
   • Markdown Preview Mermaid Support
   • markdownlint
8. Commit and push your setup so your repository is ready for class work.
9. Create and verify GitHub Pages:
   • In your repository, open Settings -> Pages.
   • Under Build and deployment, set Source to Deploy from a branch.
   • Select branch main and folder / (root), then save.
   • Wait until GitHub shows the Pages URL.
   • Open the URL and confirm your content is visible as a website.

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2. Updating The Red Book

Every phase includes a Red Book update, reflecting on:

• What you built
• How you approached it
• AI assistance used (explanations, modifications, limitations)
• Lessons learned

Please refer to our official chapter template.

Structure:

# The Red Book of Westmarch - Chapter X: Title

## Summary

- Brief description of the artifact and its purpose.

## Artifact

- Link to the artifact
- Tasks

## AI Assistance

- Explanations, modifications, limitations

## Lessons Learned

- Insights, challenges, reflections

Reflect updates in /README.md and as linked files in /chapters/.

3. Submission & Workflow

• All deliverables live in your repository in the correct folders.
• Each assignment deliverable must be stored on GitHub and the GitHub repository link (assignment/chapter specific) must then be submitted in MS Teams.
• Red Book update is mandatory but not graded (used for feedback & peer engagement).
• Keep your artifact separate from the reflection, but always link them.
• Peer sharing occurs on our peer platform: comment and like others’ work (intrinsic rewards only).

4. Networking & Peer Feedback (Lord of the Tweets)

• Share your journey on our peer platform (Lord of the Tweets).
  • Use the specific GutHub pages link (e.g., https://username.github.io/The-Fellowship-of-the-Code-2026/artifacts/artifact-1/artifact-1-situation-intent.html).
    • Not the GitHub repository link (except for “*.mermaid.md” files, here use the repository link).
  • Only share your artifact, not the chapter.
• Engage with others’ work (comment/like).
• Best engagement will receive recognition/prizes.

5. AI Usage Guidelines

• AI is allowed and encouraged for coding, design, and logic tasks.
• You must document outputs, limitations, and modifications in The Red Book.
• You should be able to explain what the AI produced, not just copy results.

We are not interested in:

• Prompt engineering
• Praising AI
• Hiding AI usage

We are interested in:

• What AI misunderstood
• Where you had to correct it
• What you decided, not the AI

6. Grading

You are not graded on:

• How much code you write
• How “advanced” your solution is

You are graded on:

• Whether you can think like someone who works with developers
• Whether you can explain decisions
• Whether you can reflect on tools (including AI)

Perfect code is not required. Intent and structure are.

7. General Tips

• Think like a developer: clarity, structure, and purpose matter more than fancy code.
• Commit often with meaningful messages.
• Keep artifacts organized and named consistently.
• Update The Red Book after each task (it tracks your journey).
• Check the templates in /templates/ for formatting guidance.
• Check the examples in /examples/ for illustrations of “weak” outputs.
• Use the LOTR narrative to make your documentation memorable and interesting.

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