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Victor Ogbonna
Victor Ogbonna

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How to Push a Local Repository to GitHub: Step-by-step Guide for Beginners

When you're getting started with Git as a beginner, one of the things you will need to get familiar with how to push a local repository (this is a storage location where you keep files, codes and data that relate to your project ) from your PC to GitHub.
In this article, I’ll walk you through a step-by-step process of seamlessly transferring your project from your local storage to GitHub. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just getting started with version control, I'll provide you with clear instructions and insights to ensure your local repository is successfully uploaded, allowing you to collaborate, share, and make changes with ease. Let's dive into the world of repository synchronization and harness the power of GitHub for your projects.
To push a local repository to GitHub, follow these steps;
Create a Repository on GitHub: Firstly, log in to your GitHub account, navigate to your profile, and then click on the “Repositories” tab. After that, click on the “New” button to create a new repository, give it a suitable name, description and other required additional settings.
Initialize Git in Your Local Directory: If you haven’t already, access the terminal on your PC(mostly in your code editor), using the terminal navigate to your local project directory run the following command to initialize Git.

initialize git

Add and Commit Your Files: Use git add to stage your files you, and use git commit to commit them with a message:
commit

Connect your Local Repository to your GitHub Repository: Use the following command to connect the local repository to the remote repository (the one you created on GitHub).

connect local repository
Push to GitHub: Now push your commits to the GitHub repository using the ‘git push’ command.
push to github

If you’re using a different branch other than “master”, replace “master” with the appropriate branch name.

Authentication: You might be required to provide your GitHub username and password for authentication, but alternatively you can use SSH keys for secure authentication.

If you follow these instructions correctly, your local repository will be successfully pushed to GitHub and you can view them on GitHub.
Disclaimer: These instructions will only work if you have already installed Git and set up on your local machine.

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