Git Push

The purpose of the Git Push command is to upload local repository changes to a remote repository. Pushing your committed changes to a remote server for others to access. Git Push will synchronize your work on the local machine with the shared repository.

In this guide, you will understand what Git Push is and how it works with your local repository and the remote one to be updated later in the process.

So, let’s get started with how to add a remote online repository to a new local repo.

Setting Up Remotes with "git push"

Use git remote add to link an existing local repository with a different branch point. This command connects your local work to a remote repository, allowing you to push and pull changes. Just paste your remote URL, and voilà: it aligns with the closest local repository.

Connecting your repository with a remote one would look like this:

git remote add origin https://github.com/yourusername/yourrepository.git

In this command:

Once connected to the remote, you’re all set to start working.

Anyway, in the section below, you will learn how to write the syntax of the git push command. Let’s move on.

Basic Git Push Command

The git push command has the following general syntax:

git push

Run this command to push your changes, which will write them to the remote repository.

git push origin main

This command effectively pushes your local changes from the main branch to a remote origin repository.

In the above command, you provide the remote repository to which it needs to be pushed and also specify the branch (currently local). You can check the detailed explanation below:

In the following part, you will learn how to push the new changes of the local repository to a specific branch.

Pushing to Specific Branches with "git push"

If you would like to push a specific branch, then execute:

git push origin branch_name

Replace branch_name with the name of the branch you wish to push. This command pushes your changes to the remote branch with the same name as the one you checked out.

Default Operation: If no branch name is entered, it will push the current working branch. So if you are on the main branch and type git push origin, it will sync the changes you’ve made on your local machine to the remote main branch.

Make sure to commit to that branch, and the next time you do a git push, everything should be fine.

Anyway, let’s move into the section below to learn how to push changes to the repository forcefully.

Force Git Push

The most common usage of the git push --force command is when you want to force-push changes into a remote repository. It is mostly used after a rebase or fixing mistakes. The git push --force command tells Git to update the remote branch with your local changes even if it produces a conflict.

When and why to use:

Potential Risks:

Best Practices:

That’s it; in the following paragraphs, you will learn how to push all tags or a specific tag to the remote repository. Let’s move on.

Pushing Tags

A tag in Git is used to mark specific points in your commit history, like version releases. They make finding significant commits easier. There are two ways to push tags into your remote repository: either by pushing a specific tag or all the tags.

Pushing a Specific Tag

To create a specific tag on the remote repository, use this command:

git push origin tag_name

Here is an example:

git push origin v1.0

This command pushes the tag v1.0. In the next steps, you are going to take your code from your local repository to a remote repository called Origin.

Pushing All Tags

If you have many tags and would like to push all of them to the remote repository, use the following command:

git push --tags

This command pushes all tags from your local repository to the remote repository.

Important Notes:

Pushing All Branches using git push to Remote Repository

That command will push all your local branches to the remote repository at once.

git push --all origin

This command pushes all branches from local to remote origin. It is helpful if you have a remote with multiple branches to keep them all synced.

Push Options and Parameters

The git push command works with dozens of options and parameters that help you tailor the behavior. Below are some more advanced ones:

A) –set-upstream

It means this specific branch has an “upstream” branch, so you won’t have to remember the remote and branch names every time you push.

git push --set-upstream origin {branch_name}

Change the {branch_name} to your branch name like this: git push --set-upstream origin feature-branch.

Now let us see what happens when this command runs in the background. This command essentially pushes feature-branch to the origin and makes it the default remote branch for future pushes.

B) –dry-run

This will fake a push and not perform any actual actions on the remote repository. It is good to test out what would happen before pushing for real.

git push --dry-run

# here is an example
git push --dry-run origin main
Bash

This command will list what is being pushed (without pushing it).

Let’s summarize it.

Wrapping Up

This article is a comprehensive guide about the Git Push command, which is used to catch all updates from local repositories and mirror them on a remote repository.

It starts by introducing Git Push and its place in syncing your workstations with someone else’s: a shared repository). The guide explains how to create remote repositories, the basic Git Push command, and how to push into different branches. It also talks about force pushing, both where it is necessary and when we may want to reconsider.

The article also demonstrates how to push tags, both all and specific, along with pushing all branches into a remote repository. Finally, it explains some of the submission options and parameters like –-set-upstream or –-dry-run that make things more controllable and flexible for pushing.

Thank you for reading. Happy Coding!