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:
- 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. - 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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).
- 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.
- 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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