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How to Check In a Local Project Folder to GitHub

Summary

This document shows how to take a local folder that contains a project and check it into GitHub using Git. It works for any project — code, config, data, etc.

Use Case

“I have a folder on my machine and I want to upload it to GitHub so I can version it, share it, or back it up.”

Step-by-Step: Check In Local Code to GitHub

1. Navigate to Your Local Project

Open a terminal and move into your project folder:

cd ~/path/to/my-project

2. Initialize a Git Repository

git init

This sets up Git to track changes in your folder.

3. Add Files and Make Your First Commit

git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
  • git add . stages everything
  • git commit saves the snapshot

4. Create a Repository on GitHub

Go to: https://github.com/new

  • Enter a repo name (e.g., my-project)
  • Choose public or private
  • Do not initialize with README
  • Click Create repository

GitHub will show you a command like:

git remote add origin https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/my-project.git

Run it in your terminal.

6. Push Code to GitHub

git branch -M main
git push -u origin main

This uploads your code to GitHub under the main branch.

7. You're Done

Go to:

https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/my-project

You’ll see your files uploaded and versioned.

Best Practices

  • Add a .gitignore to skip logs, binaries, and secrets.
  • Use meaningful commit messages.
  • Push often to keep your remote updated.

Sample .gitignore

# System files
.DS_Store
Thumbs.db

# Editor folders
.vscode/
.idea/

# Output/build files
build/
dist/
*.log
*.tmp

# Secrets and configs
.env
*.pem
*.key