README.Rmd

---
  output: github_document
---
  
  <!-- README.md is generated from README.Rmd. Please edit that file -->
  
```{r, include = FALSE}
knitr::opts_chunk$set(
  collapse = TRUE,
  comment = "#>",
  fig.path = "man/figures/README-",
  out.width = "100%"
)
```

# projectlog <a href="https://stefanvermeent.github.io/projectlog/"><img src="man/figures/logo.png" align="right" height="139" /></a>

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[![Lifecycle: experimental](https://img.shields.io/badge/lifecycle-experimental-orange.svg)](https://lifecycle.r-lib.org/articles/stages.html#experimental)
[![CRAN status](https://www.r-pkg.org/badges/version/projectlog)](https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=projectlog)           
[![R-CMD-check](https://github.com/stefanvermeent/projectlog/actions/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/stefanvermeent/projectlog/actions/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml)
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***Please note that `projectlog` is still under active development. Until the first official release, any new changes are potentially breaking changes.***


# The purpose of `projectlog`

Good project management and documentation is a crucial part any researcher's workflow.
Not only does it make your own life easier, but it makes it easier to share your code, data, and other materials with other researchers.
`projectlog` helps researchers managing and documenting their project from start to finish.
The three core aims of `projectlog` are to help with:

  1. **Initiation**: Set up or convert your R project following best practices using a convenient project template.
  2. **Documentation**: Easily keep track of important *milestones*, such as preregistrations, first-time data access, and article submissions and revisions.
  3. **Communication**: Create a clear, reproducible, and verifiable history of your project---including major milestones---to show what you did and when you did it to others (e.g., reviewers or readers of your article).

`projectlog` uses Git and GitHub throughout all stages of the project.
If you are already using git in your workflow to track your changes and share your code and materials, `projectlog` provides functionality that automates common steps and helps you get the most out of the information that Git stores for you.
If you are not familiar with Git---or if the mere mention of it strikes fear into your heart---then `projectlog` is set up in a way that you rarely have to interact with Git directly.
For example, initiating a new project using the `projectlog` template automatically creates a connected repository on GitHub, and the core steps of documenting project changes on GitHub are made easy through the convenience functions such as `projectlog::log_milestone` or `projectlog::log_changes`.
See [Get started](https://stefanvermeent.github.io/projectlog/articles/projectlog.html) and the [Vignettes](https://stefanvermeent.github.io/projectlog/articles/) for more detailed information.

# Before we start... Setting up Git

One of the main aims of `projectlog` is that it can be used by people who are not (intimately) familiar with Git or GitHub.
However, you will still need to to three things to ensure that `projectlog` works properly:<br>
    (1) Create a free account on [GitHub](https://github.com/join)<br>
    (2) Install [Git](https://git-scm.com/downloads) on your device<br>
    (3) Make sure R knows where to find git on your device<br>
    
These three steps are described in more detail in [This Vignette](https://stefanvermeent.github.io/projectlog/articles/setting-up-git.html). 
Note that you only have to complete step 1 once, and only have to repeat steps 2 and 3 when you switch devices. 


# Installation

You can install the development version of `projectlog` from GitHub as follows:

```{r, eval=F, echo=T}
# install.packages('devtools')
devtools::install_github("StefanVermeent/projectlog")
```

## Example

See [Get started](https://stefanvermeent.github.io/projectlog/articles/projectlog.html) for examples of how to use projectlog.