World 4: Hello GitHub

Remotes and origin

You will learn: how to tell Git where your GitHub repo lives.

The problem

Your empty diary repo on GitHub has a long web address. Must you type it on every push?

Watch

~/diary $ git remote add origin https://github.com/you/diary.git~/diary $ git remote -vorigin        https://github.com/you/diary.git (fetch)origin        https://github.com/you/diary.git (push)

A is a contact in Git’s address book. git remote add origin <url> saves GitHub as origin. git remote -v lists your contacts.

Try it

Build the command that saves your GitHub address as origin.

Tap the pieces in the right order.

…

Try it

Now type it in your diary. Then check with git remote -v.

Hint

Copy the address exactly, with .git at the end.

Predict

Is the name origin special to Git?

Check

Tap the line Git uses when you push.

~/diary $ git remote add origin https://github.com/you/diary.git~/diary $ git remote -v

0 of 1 found

You did it!

You can now connect your project to a repo on GitHub.

Go deeper (optional)

Typo in the address? git remote set-url origin <new-url> fixes it. git remote rename and git remote remove exist too. Removing a remote only deletes the contact. The repo on GitHub stays.

~/diary $ git remote add origin https://github.com/you/diry.git~/diary $ git remote set-url origin https://github.com/you/diary.git~/diary $ git remote -vorigin        https://github.com/you/diary.git (fetch)origin        https://github.com/you/diary.git (push)