Git Reference

Git Reference#

Routine workflow: Push changes to a remote repository: quick steps

Project setup: Initialize a local repository on your computer

Project setup: Set up a remote repository on GitHub

Ignoring and removing files from your repository

Delete a local git repository on your computer

Push changes to a remote repository: quick steps#

If you have already initialized a local repository on your computer and set up a remote repository on GitHub, running the four commands below in your local project directory will add all new files and changes and push them to GitHub.

git pull origin main
git add .
git commit -m "Write a descriptive commit message here."
git push origin main

Note that git add . adds all files in the working directory and subdirectory to the repository. You can also add specific files.

git add file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt

Replace the commit message between the quotes with a brief description of the changes that you have made.

Initialize a local repository on your computer#

Run the following command in your local project directory:

git init

You only have to do this once for each project. You do not have to run this command in sub-directories.

Set up a remote repository on GitHub#

Go to your GitHub account page

Click the green “New” button

Enter a name for the repository and select whether the repository will be public or private

In the project directory on your local computer, run the following command:

git remote add origin https://github.com/user-name/repository-name.git

Replace the address above with the address of the remote repository you created on GitHub.

If you have not done so already, initialize a local repository on your computer

Follow the quick steps to push changes to a remote repository

You only have to do this once for each project.

Ignoring and removing files from your repository#

Ignoring files

Create a text file called .gitignore and place it in the main directory of your project. The contents of the file should contain a list of files (or file patterns) that are on your computer, but do not want to share with others (e.g. .DS_Store,Thumbs.db,*.pyc).

For more information: https://www.atlassian.com/git/tutorials/gitignore

Removing files from your repository without removing them from your computer

git rm --cached file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt

Delete a local git repository on your computer#

Sometimes you may want to delete a local git repository that you have already created with git init. You want to keep the files, but undo everything that has been done with git. This situation might arise if you make a mistake, like initializing in the wrong directory. Deleting the repository allows you to start over.

There is no special command for deleting a local repository. Instead, you need to delete the hidden .git directory that was created when you ran git init. This is where git stores all files related to your project.

Deleting the .git directory can be done on the command line. However, the instructions here demonstrate how to do this in the file browser because there is less chance of making a catastrophic error. The directions depend on the operating system (scroll down for Windows).

Mac#

In the Finder, navigate to your main project directory (the one where you ran git init).

planets directory

To show the hidden files, type command + Shift + .

planets directory - hidden files

Delete the .git directory.