How to Push Code to Github (Git Bash Example)

Here is how you can upload a file or a folder to your Github repository using Git Bash.

To push code to a Github Repository, we use this format:

$ git push <remote> <branch> --<flag>

The branch and flags are optional.


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In this tutorial, we will learn how to add a local hosted repository to Github.

Before you can start, you need to understand:

Follow this tutorial if you are trying to push code to Github using VS Code.

How to Push a File or Folder to Github (using Git Bash)

To push a folder or to sync a file from your local folder to your remote Github repository:

  1. Move your file to the cloned repository

  2. Open Git Bash

  3. Go to the current directory where you want the cloned directory to be added.


    Input cd and add your folder location. You can add the folder location by dragging the folder to Git bash.

    $ cd '/c/Users/j-c.chouinard/My First Git Project'

  4. Add the file and stage it for commit

    $ git add 'yourFileName.py

  5. Commit the file to your local repository

    $ git commit -m 'yourFileName.py

  6. Push the changes to Github

    $ git push origin master

    For simplicity, I considered that you have not built work branches and that you commit straight to the master branch.

After all of this, your file will be committed to your Github repository.

Git Push Recap

In the command line, go to the root directory where your local files are. Optionally initialize the local directory (git init). Add the your file changes (git add) and commit your changes (git commit). Finally, push your changes of the local file or repository to GitHub (git push).

Git Commands Cheatsheet

To learn more about Git Commands, check out this Git Cheatsheet.

git configSetup user information
git initInitialize a repository as a Git repository
git clone [url]Clone a local repository from Github
git add [file path]Add file or folder to your commit staging
git commit -m “[message]”Commit staged content
git push [alias] [branch]Push commit to Github
git fetch [remote] [branch]Download commits, files, and refs from remote to local repo
git remote add [name] [url]Modify a repository ./.git/config file
git branch [branch]Create, list, rename, and delete branches

Interesting Git Push Flags

Git Push FlagDefinition
–force (-f)F flag forces pushing deleting changes that may have happened since your last push
–set-upstream (-u)U Flag forces update only if the remote-tracking reference has been integrated locally.
–verboseV flag runs verbosely
–progressForces the progress status on the standard error stream

Other Version Control with Git and Github Posts

Learn Git and Github (Complete Guide)
Basics of Version Control
How to Use Git and Github with VSCode

Conclusion

You now know how to push a folder to Github and to upload files to repository using git.

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