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To put a project from a Windows computer on GitHub, make sure it is a local Git repository with at least one commit, create an empty repository on GitHub, add that repository’s URL as the local remote named origin, and push your branch. Git Bash is the terminal where you run the commands; Git tracks changes locally, while GitHub hosts the remote copy. You can connect with HTTPS or SSH.
What Git, Git Bash, GitHub, and SSH each do
- Git records changes in a repository on your computer. A commit is a saved point in that repository’s history.
- Git Bash provides a command-line environment on Windows where you can run Git commands.
- GitHub hosts a remote repository that can receive your local commits.
- A remote URL tells Git where the hosted repository lives.
originis the conventional name for the remote, not a special GitHub account or a branch. - SSH is one way to authenticate when Git connects to GitHub. It uses a private key kept on your computer and a matching public key registered with your GitHub account.
Git and GitHub are related but not interchangeable: creating a GitHub repository does not automatically add your local files to it. You connect the repositories and push commits.
How do I add my local project to GitHub?
1. Open the project in Git Bash
Install Git for Windows if Git Bash is not available, then open Git Bash in the folder containing your project. The commands below assume you are working in that folder. This guide does not specify an installer version.
2. Confirm that the project is a Git repository and has a commit
Run:
git statusIf Git reports that the directory is not a repository, initialize it with git init, then check the status again. If the project has no commit yet, review the files you intend to include, stage them, and commit them:
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git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"git add . stages files under the current project folder. Review what will be included before committing; do not stage passwords, API keys, or other sensitive information. If Git asks you to configure your name or email before committing, follow its prompt and retry.
3. Create an empty repository on GitHub
Create a new repository in your GitHub account. When you are connecting an existing local repository, leave the new remote empty: do not initialize it with a README, license, or gitignore file. That avoids introducing a separate initial commit that can conflict with the local project’s history.
4. Choose and copy the repository URL
GitHub provides HTTPS and SSH URL forms. Copy the URL shown for the repository; do not type or reconstruct it from memory. If you choose SSH, set up and test your key first. HTTPS is a straightforward choice for a first push and can work through strict firewalls or proxies.
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| Connection | What you need | Useful when |
|---|---|---|
| HTTPS | A GitHub personal access token when Git requests a password, or a configured credential helper. | You want to avoid SSH key setup, or your network restricts SSH. |
| SSH | A matching private key on your computer and public key registered with the intended GitHub account. | You prefer key-based authentication after completing setup. |
GitHub no longer accepts your account password for Git operations over HTTPS. If prompted for a password, use a personal access token, or configure a credential helper such as Git Credential Manager to handle credentials.
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5. Add the remote and push your branch
In Git Bash, from the project folder, replace REMOTE-URL with the copied URL:
git remote add origin REMOTE-URL
git remote -v
git push -u origin mainThe second command displays the configured remote URLs so you can check that origin points to the intended repository. The final command pushes the local main branch and sets its upstream, so later pushes from that branch can usually use git push.
If your current branch is not named main, use its actual name instead. Check it with:
git branch --show-currentFor example, if that command prints trunk, push with git push -u origin trunk.
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6. Verify the result
Open the repository page on GitHub and confirm that the expected files and commit appear. If they do not, check the branch name and the URL shown by git remote -v before retrying.
How do I connect to GitHub with SSH?
SSH setup has four parts: create or locate a key pair, make the private key available to SSH, register the public key with the correct GitHub account, and test authentication. Do not upload or share the private key.
Check for an existing key before creating one
If you already have an SSH key pair, you may be able to use it. GitHub’s setup guidance uses Ed25519 for new keys and recommends a passphrase. If you need a new key, run this in Git Bash, replacing the example email with the email associated with your account:
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Load the key and add the public key to GitHub
Follow GitHub’s SSH setup instructions to add the key to ssh-agent, then add the contents of the public key file to the SSH keys section of the GitHub account you intend to use. A key registered to a different account will not grant access through the account you expect.
GitHub also documents RSA 4096-bit keys as a legacy alternative for systems that do not support Ed25519. Older SSH clients may need updating to support newer key types.
Test the connection and use the SSH remote
Use GitHub’s SSH connection test after registering the key. Then confirm that the repository remote uses the SSH URL, not the HTTPS URL, with git remote -v. If the remote is wrong, update it using the SSH URL copied from that repository.
Common first-push problems
“remote origin already exists”
The project already has a remote named origin. Inspect it with git remote -v. If it points to the wrong repository, replace its URL rather than adding another remote:
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git remote set-url origin REMOTE-URLSubstitute the correct HTTPS or SSH URL copied from GitHub.
SSH says “Permission denied” or authentication fails
- Check that the public key is registered with the GitHub account that should have access.
- Confirm that the matching private key is on the computer and available to SSH or
ssh-agent. - Check that
git remote -vshows the SSH URL for the repository.
HTTPS keeps asking for credentials
For Git operations over HTTPS, use a personal access token when Git asks for a password, or set up a credential helper such as Git Credential Manager. Your GitHub account password is not accepted as the Git password.
The push command uses the wrong branch
Run git branch --show-current and use the branch name it prints in git push -u origin BRANCH-NAME. The name main is common, but your local branch may be named differently.
You are unsure what will be sent
Run git status before staging or pushing, and inspect the files you intend to commit. Never add, commit, or push passwords, API keys, or other secrets. If a secret has already been committed, do not assume that deleting the file in a later commit makes the earlier secret safe; rotate or revoke the exposed credential.
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