Git and GitHub
GitHub stores your repository online, so it is backed up, you can work from any computer, and others can see or join your project.
Create a GitHub Account and Repository
- Sign up for a free account at github.com. Use a professional username; it will appear on your portfolio.
- Click New repository (the + button at the top).
- Give it a name, like
my-site, and choose Public or Private. - Do not add a README if you already have a local project. Click Create repository.
GitHub then shows the address of your new repository, such as https://github.com/ayesha-dev/my-site.git.
Connect Your Project: git remote
A remote is a named link to a repository somewhere else. The usual name for the main one is origin:
Example
git remote add origin https://github.com/ayesha-dev/my-site.git
git remote -vorigin https://github.com/ayesha-dev/my-site.git (fetch) origin https://github.com/ayesha-dev/my-site.git (push)
git push
Send your commits to GitHub:
Example
git push -u origin mainEnumerating objects: 9, done. Writing objects: 100% (9/9), 812 bytes | 812.00 KiB/s, done. To https://github.com/ayesha-dev/my-site.git * [new branch] main -> main branch 'main' set up to track 'origin/main'.
-u links your local main to origin/main. After that, a plain git push is enough.
Logging In
GitHub no longer accepts your account password on the command line. Use one of these:
- Git Credential Manager (installed with Git for Windows): a browser window opens and you log in once
- Personal access token: create one in GitHub Settings, Developer settings, and paste it when Git asks for a password
- SSH key: generate a key and add it to your GitHub account
Example
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "ayesha@example.com"
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pubCopy the printed public key into GitHub, Settings, SSH and GPG keys. Then use the SSH address, like git@github.com:ayesha-dev/my-site.git.
Never share your private key (the file without .pub) or your token. Treat them like passwords.
git pull
When the GitHub copy has commits you do not have (for example, a teammate pushed, or you edited on another computer), bring them down:
Example
git pullUpdating 7d1f3a8..b2c9e04 Fast-forward about.html | 15 +++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 15 insertions(+)
git pull is really two steps: git fetch (download new commits) and git merge (combine them with your branch).
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
git fetch | Download new commits, but do not change your files |
git pull | Fetch and merge into your current branch |
git push | Upload your commits |
git clone <url> | Download a full copy of a repository |
git clone
To get a copy of any repository, for example on a new laptop or a classmate's project:
Example
git clone https://github.com/ayesha-dev/my-site.git
cd my-site
git log --oneline -2b2c9e04 (HEAD -> main, origin/main) Add about page 7d1f3a8 Merge new-heading and combine both headings
Cloning downloads the full history and sets up origin for you automatically.
Push Rejected?
If someone pushed before you, GitHub rejects your push:
! [rejected] main -> main (fetch first) error: failed to push some refs to 'https://github.com/ayesha-dev/my-site.git'
Run git pull first, fix any conflicts, then git push again.
README.md
A README.md file in the main folder is shown on your repository's GitHub page. Use it to explain what the project is and how to run it. It is the first thing a recruiter or client sees.
Exercise
Exercise
Which command uploads your local commits to GitHub?