A Simplified Guide to Uploading Your Project to GitHub Using the Command Line

Sharing your code and collaborating with others is a fundamental part of modern software development and testing. GitHub is a widely used platform that allows developers and testers to host their projects, track changes, and work together seamlessly. This guide provides a simplified, step-by-step process for uploading your local project to a new GitHub repository using the command line, drawing from the provided sources and adding extra context for a better understanding.

Before you begin, it's essential to ensure Git is installed on your computer. Git is the version control system that GitHub is built upon.

Here are the steps:

  1. Log in to GitHub
    Open your web browser and navigate to your GitHub account, typically by visiting a URL like https://github.com/your-username. This ensures you are logged in and ready to create a new repository.
  2. Create a New Repository
    Once logged in, you need to create a New, empty repository on GitHub that will house your project.
    • Look for and click on the New repository button.
    • Enter a repository name for your project. For example, you might use AutomationProject.
    • Optionally, you can add a description to explain what your project is about.
    • Choose the visibility for your repository: Public (anyone can see it) or Private (only you and selected collaborators can see it).
    • Click Create repository to finalize the creation.
  3. Set Up Your Project Locally
    Now, you need to prepare your local project folder to be linked with the GitHub repository.
    • Open a command prompt or terminal application on your computer.
    • Use the cd command (change directory) to navigate to your project folder. For example, if your project is in a folder named AutomationProject on your Desktop, you would type cd Desktop/ AutomationProject and press Enter.
  4. Initialize a Git Repository Inside your project folder in the terminal, you need to initialize it as a Git repository. This creates a hidden .git folder that Git uses to track changes in your project files.
    • Run the command: git init. This command initializes an empty Git repository in your current directory.
  5. Add Files to Git (Staging)
    After initializing the Git repository, you need to tell Git which files you want to include in your first commit. This process is called staging.
    • Run the command: git add .. This command stages all files in the folder for the next commit. (Alternatively, you could specify individual files like git add index.html).
  6. Commit Changes
    Committing is like taking a snapshot of your staged files at a specific point in time. Each commit should represent a logical unit of work and should have a descriptive message.
    • Run the command: git commit -m "first commit". This command commits your staged changes with the message specified after the -m flag. The message "first commit" is just an example; you can write any message that describes the changes (in this case, adding the initial project files).
  7. Link to GitHub Repository
    Your local project is now a Git repository with its first commit. The next step is to connect it to the empty repository you created on GitHub.
    • Go back to the GitHub page for your new repository (the one you created in Step 2). You will find a URL for the repository there. Copy this repository URL. An example URL might look like https://github.com/your-username/AutomationProject.git.
    • In your terminal, run the command: git remote add origin <repository-URL>. This command links your local repository to the specified remote GitHub repository, giving it the alias origin. Remember to replace <repository-URL> with the actual URL you copied from GitHub. The name origin is the standard convention for the primary remote repository.
  8. Push to GitHub
    Finally, you will push your local commits to the linked GitHub repository.
    • Run the command: git push origin master. This command uploads your project from your local master branch to the origin remote repository. (Note: In more recent Git and GitHub setups, the default branch name is often main instead of master. If your GitHub repository was created with a main branch, you might need to use git push origin main instead. The source specifically uses master.)

After executing the git push command, refresh your GitHub repository page in your browser. You should now see all your project files listed there.

Conclusion
This simplified guide covers the core steps to get your project onto GitHub using the command line. Understanding these basic Git commands is a fundamental skill for developers and testers.

Check out the blog post below to learn the essential Git commands every software tester should know.
Essential Git Commands Every Software Tester Should Know

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