<!--
  <<< Author notes: Step 2 >>>
  Start this step by acknowledging the previous step.
  Define terms and link to docs.github.com.
-->

## Step 2: Commit a file

_You created a branch! :tada:_

Creating a branch allows you to edit your project without changing the `main` branch. Now that you have a branch, it’s time to create a file and make your first commit!

**What is a commit?**: A _[commit](https://docs.github.com/pull-requests/committing-changes-to-your-project/creating-and-editing-commits/about-commits)_ is a set of changes to the files and folders in your project. A commit exists in a branch. For more information, see "[About commits](https://docs.github.com/en/pull-requests/committing-changes-to-your-project/creating-and-editing-commits/about-commits)".

### :keyboard: Activity: Your first commit

The following steps will guide you through the process of committing a change on GitHub. A commit records changes in renaming, changing content within, creating a new file, and any other changes made to your project. For this exercise, committing a change requires first adding a new file to your new branch.

1. On the **< > Code** tab in the header menu of your repository, make sure you're on your new branch `my-first-branch`.

2. Select the **Add file** drop-down and click **Create new file**.

   ![create new file option](/images/create-new-file.png)

3. In the **Name your file...** field, enter `PROFILE.md`.

   **Note:** `.md` is a file extension that creates a Markdown file. You can learn more about Markdown by visiting "[Basic writing and formatting syntax](https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/writing-on-github/getting-started-with-writing-and-formatting-on-github/basic-writing-and-formatting-syntax)" in our docs or by taking the "[Communicating using Markdown](https://github.com/skills/communicate-using-markdown)" Skills course.

4. In the **Enter file contents here** area, copy the following content to your file:

   ```
   Welcome to my GitHub profile!
   ```

   <img alt="profile.md file screenshot" src="/images/my-profile-file.png"/>

5. Click **Commit changes...** in the upper right corner above the contents box. For commits, you can enter a short commit message that describes what changes you made. This message helps others know what's included in your commit. GitHub offers a simple default message, but let's change it slightly for practice. First, enter `Add PROFILE.md` in the first text-entry field titled "Commit message".

   <img alt="screenshot of adding a new file with a commit message" src="/images/commit-full-screen.png" />

6. In this lesson, we'll ignore the other fields and click **Commit changes**.
7. Wait about 20 seconds then refresh this page (the one you're following instructions from). [GitHub Actions](https://docs.github.com/en/actions) will automatically update to the next step.