As a developer, I often find myself needing to commit my code to Github from the command line. This process can be a bit intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature. In this article, I’ll walk you through the steps I take to commit my repositories to Github using the Bash terminal.
Setting Up the Repository
First things first, I navigate to the directory containing my project using the cd command in the terminal. Once I’m in the right directory, I initialize a new Git repository by running git init. This sets up the local directory as a Git repository, allowing me to start tracking changes and committing them to Github.
Adding and Committing Changes
Now that my repository is set up, I can start adding and committing changes. I use the git status command to see which files have been modified. After reviewing the changes, I stage the files I want to commit using git add. For example, if I want to stage all the changes, I’d use git add .. Once the changes are staged, I commit them with a descriptive message using the git commit -m "Your message here" command.
Connecting to Github
To connect my local repository to a remote Github repository, I add the Github repository URL as a remote using the git remote add origin [repository URL] command. Then, I push my committed changes from the local repository to the remote repository on Github using git push -u origin master.
Dealing with Branches
If I’m working on a different branch and want to push those changes to Github, I make sure to switch to that branch using git checkout [branch name]. Then, I follow the same steps to add, commit, and push my changes to the corresponding branch on Github.
Conclusion
Committing to Github from the Bash terminal might seem daunting at first, but with practice, it becomes a seamless part of the development process. By following these steps and integrating them into my workflow, I’ve been able to efficiently push my code to Github and collaborate with others on my projects. So, the next time you’re ready to commit your changes, fire up your terminal, give these commands a try, and enjoy the satisfaction of seeing your code safely stored on Github.