Adding a file to a repository using the command line

This procedure assumes you've already:

• Created a repository on GitHub, or have an existing repository owned by someone else you'd like to contribute to
• Cloned the repository locally on your computer

1. On your computer, move the file you'd like to upload to GitHub into the local directory that was created when you cloned the repository.
2. Open TerminalTerminalGit Bash.
3. Change the current working directory to your local repository.
4. Stage the file for commit to your local repository.

   $ git add .
   # Adds the file to your local repository and stages it for commit. To unstage a file, use 'git reset HEAD YOUR-FILE'.

5. Commit the file that you've staged in your local repository.

   $ git commit -m "Add existing file"
   # Commits the tracked changes and prepares them to be pushed to a remote repository. To remove this commit and modify the file, use 'git reset --soft HEAD~1' and commit and add the file again.

6. Push the changes in your local repository to GitHub.

   $ git push origin your-branch
   # Pushes the changes in your local repository up to the remote repository you specified as the origin

Further reading

• "Creating new files"
• "Adding an existing project to GitHub using the command line"