Cloning and Working Locally

Jonathan Peake

Why clone a repository?

• GitHub is great for small changes

• Cloning allows you to work locally for complex changes involving multiple files

• Work on repos from any local machine

• Use the command line or your favorite IDE for Git actions

Image credit: https://jaisriram.hashnode.dev/how-to-clone-a-github-repository-to-local-machine

How to interact with local repositories

1. Git Command Line - powerful, steeper learning curve
2. GitHub Desktop - easier to pick up, familiar, but not as powerful
3. RStudio - integrated into workflow, but clunky
4. VSCode/Positron - integrated into workflow, less clunky, learning curve if coming from RStudio
5. Other IDEs - YMMV

How to Clone

1. On GitHub, navigate to the main page of the repository.

2. Above the list of files, click Code.

   Screenshot of the list of files on the landing page of a repository. The “Code” button is highlighted with a dark orange outline.

3. Copy the URL

4. In command line: Type git clone, paste the URL you copied, and hit enter

   git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/YOUR-REPOSITORY

5. In IDE or GH Desktop: find the clone function and paste the URL

Working Locally: Git commands

• Clone: copy remote repo to local environment

• Pull: synchronize changes in remote repository to local

• Fetch: retrieve commit history, but doesn’t sync changes

  • Good for review

• Push: send changes from local up to remote

Working Locally: Git commands

• Stage: add changes to be committed

• Commit: save staged changes and record to history

  • Can also amend commits (but don’t do this if you pushed the changes)

• Stash: temporarily save uncommitted changes

Advanced Git commands

• Checkout: create or switch to a branch

• Merge: merge committed changes from a branch into another

• Rebase: pull changes from a remote into a local repository while “rewriting” the commit history