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Basic Series 1 - Uploading Code to a GitHub Repository

· 4 min read

This guide will show you how to push your local code to a private GitHub repository step by step — no stress, no cryptic errors (hopefully).

Prerequisites​

Before we jump in, make sure you have:

  • Git installed on your computer
  • A GitHub account
  • An SSH key set up (recommended) or a Personal Access Token

Steps​

1. Create a Private Repository on GitHub​

  1. Go to GitHub
  2. Click the "+" icon in the top right
  3. Choose "New repository"
  4. Name your repository
  5. Pick "Private" if you don’t want the whole world seeing your code
  6. Click "Create repository"

Public vs Private

  • Public: Visible to everyone. Good for open-source or public research code.
  • Private: Only you and invited collaborators can see it. Perfect for work-in-progress or sensitive projects.

2. Initialize Git in Your Local Project​

If you haven't done this before, no worries. Just run:

# Move into your project folder
cd your-project-directory

# Initialize a Git repository
git init

3. Add Your Files​

It’s better to add files selectively so you don’t accidentally track things you don’t want. If you do use git add ., make sure you set up a .gitignore first so you don't upload, say, your secret keys or huge datasets. See Setting Up .gitignore.

# Add everything (be careful with this!)
git add .

# Or, add specific files
git add file1.py file2.py

4. Commit Your Changes​

Write clear, meaningful commit messages so you know what changed later on.

git commit -m "Add initial code"
tip

You can even spice them up with emojis (using gitmoji) if you want — just remember to use the text format like :sparkles: so nothing breaks.

Before pushing, you need to tell Git where your repo lives online.

git remote add origin git@github.com:username/repository-name.git
info

If you haven’t set up authentication yet, check Authentication Methods.

6. Push Your Code​

# Push to main branch
git push origin main

# Push to a different remote branch
git push origin local_branch:remote_branch

Example: push your local feature branch to the remote dev branch.

git push -u origin feature:dev

The -u flag sets the upstream branch, so future pushes can be simpler. You can check upstream branches with git branch -vv.

Setting Up .gitignore​

A .gitignore file tells Git which files or folders it should ignore. This keeps your repo clean and avoids accidentally uploading huge files, build artifacts, or sensitive info.

Create one like this:

touch .gitignore
Common .gitignore patterns for Python projects (click to expand)
# Byte-compiled / optimized / DLL files
__pycache__/
*.py[cod]
*$py.class
*.so

# Virtual environments
env/
.venv/
venv/

# Distribution / packaging
build/
dist/
*.egg-info/

# Jupyter notebooks
.ipynb_checkpoints

# IDEs and editors
.vscode/
.idea/

# OS files
.DS_Store
Thumbs.db

# Environment files
.env
tip

You can find more templates at gitignore.io or from GitHub’s gitignore repo. There’s also a handy VS Code extension: gitignore-generator.

Authentication Methods​

  1. Generate an SSH key if you don’t have one yet:

    ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"

  2. Copy your public key:

    cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

  3. Go to GitHub → Settings → SSH and GPG keys → New SSH key, paste it, and save.

Using Personal Access Token​

  1. Go to GitHub → Settings → Developer settings → Personal access tokens
  2. Generate a new token with the repo scope
  3. Use this token instead of your password when pushing code

Common Issues and Quick Fixes​

Authentication Failed​

  • Double-check your SSH key setup
  • Make sure your Personal Access Token is still valid
  • Verify you have access rights to the repo

Remote Already Exists​

If you get an error like "remote origin already exists":

git remote remove origin
git remote add origin git@github.com:username/repository-name.git

Best Practices​

  • Use .gitignore to keep unnecessary stuff out of your repo
  • Write meaningful commit messages so future-you knows what’s going on
  • Keep private code private
  • Push your changes often so your remote stays in sync

Conclusion​

That’s it! You’re ready to show off your code (or keep it safely hidden in a private repo). No more "wait, where did my changes go?" moments — just smooth sailing from here.

Link to other basic series
  1. Upload to GitHub
  2. Python Mangement with uv
  3. Code formatting
  4. Tmux is all you need
  5. Configuration with tryo