Until now, your Git repository has existed only on your machine — a local repository. A remote is a copy of that repository hosted on a server (GitHub, GitLab, etc.) that your team can share.
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Setting Up a Remote
Option A: Start from GitHub (most common)
bash
# 1. Create a new repo on GitHub (click + → New repository)
# 2. Clone it to your machine (empty to start)
git clone git@github.com:yourorg/my-repo.git
cd my-repo
# Git automatically sets up "origin" pointing to GitHub
git remote -v
# origin git@github.com:yourorg/my-repo.git (fetch)
# origin git@github.com:yourorg/my-repo.git (push)
Option B: Connect Existing Local Repo to GitHub
bash
# You have a local repo, now want to push to GitHub
# 1. Create empty repo on GitHub (no README, no .gitignore)
# 2. Add the remote connection
git remote add origin git@github.com:yourorg/my-repo.git
# Verify
git remote -v
# Push for the first time
git push -u origin main
# -u = --set-upstream (links local main to remote origin/main)
# After this, you can just type "git push" instead of "git push origin main"
Managing Remotes
bash
# List remotes
git remote -v
# origin git@github.com:yourorg/my-repo.git (fetch)
# origin git@github.com:yourorg/my-repo.git (push)
# Add a second remote (e.g., a fork or different server)
git remote add upstream git@github.com:originalorg/their-repo.git
# Rename a remote
git remote rename origin github
# Change a remote's URL (e.g., after repo rename or switching HTTPS → SSH)
git remote set-url origin git@github.com:yourorg/new-repo-name.git
# Remove a remote
git remote remove upstream
# Inspect a remote (shows remote branches)
git remote show origin
git push: Send Local Commits to Remote
bash
# Push current branch to origin (after -u is set)
git push
# Explicit push (works without -u)
git push origin main
git push origin feature/login
# Push a new branch and set tracking (-u = --set-upstream)
git push -u origin feature/new-ui
# Push ALL local branches
git push --all origin
# Push tags (not included in regular push)
git push origin v1.5.2 # Push specific tag
git push origin --tags # Push all tags
# Force push (rewrites remote history — use with extreme caution)
git push --force # ❌ Dangerous
git push --force-with-lease # ✅ Safer: fails if remote has new commits you haven't pulled
Always Use --force-with-lease Instead of --force
git push --force will overwrite the remote with your local history, even if someone else pushed while you were working. --force-with-lease checks first: if the remote has changed, it refuses, protecting your teammates' work. Set up the alias from lesson 2: git config --global alias.pushf "push --force-with-lease".
git fetch: Download Without Merging
git fetch downloads new commits from the remote but does not change your local branches. You can inspect what changed before integrating:
bash
# Download all new remote changes
git fetch origin
# Fetch a specific branch
git fetch origin main
# See what was fetched (new commits on remote)
git log HEAD..origin/main --oneline
# def5678 fix: correct order total calculation ← this is on remote but not local yet
# abc1234 feat: add bulk discount support
# Compare your local branch to the remote
git diff main origin/main
# After inspection, merge the remote changes
git merge origin/main # Or: git rebase origin/main
git fetch is always safe — it never modifies your working directory or local branches.
git pull: Fetch + Merge in One Step
git pull combines fetch + merge (or fetch + rebase if configured):
bash
# Fetch and merge (creates a merge commit if histories diverged)
git pull
# Fetch and rebase (keeps history linear — recommended with pull.rebase=true)
git pull --rebase
git pull --rebase origin main
# Pull a specific branch
git pull origin feature/updates
# If you set pull.rebase = true in config (lesson 2), --rebase is automatic
git pull --rebase vs git pull:
text
git pull (merge):
main: A → B → C → M (merge commit) ← history shows the merge explicitly
↗
remote: D → E ─╯
git pull --rebase:
main: A → B → D → E → C ← your local commit (C) is replayed after remote commits
Clean, linear history
Tracking Branches
When you git push -u origin main, Git creates a tracking relationship: your local main tracks origin/main. This enables:
bash
# See tracking relationships
git branch -vv
# * main 9f7e3a1 [origin/main] fix: handle empty cart
# feature/auth abc1234 [origin/feature/auth: ahead 2] feat: add login
# What "ahead 2" means: you have 2 local commits not yet pushed
# What "behind 3" means: remote has 3 commits you haven't pulled
# See ahead/behind status
git status
# On branch main
# Your branch is ahead of 'origin/main' by 2 commits.
# (use "git push" to publish your local commits)
Working With Forks
In open-source contribution, you fork the original repo, make changes in your fork, and submit a PR. You need to keep your fork updated:
bash
# Clone YOUR fork
git clone git@github.com:yourname/original-project.git
# Add the ORIGINAL project as "upstream"
git remote add upstream git@github.com:originalorg/original-project.git
git remote -v
# origin git@github.com:yourname/original-project.git
# upstream git@github.com:originalorg/original-project.git
# Keep your fork up to date with upstream
git fetch upstream
git switch main
git rebase upstream/main # Apply upstream changes under your work
git push origin main # Update your fork on GitHub
# Work on a feature
git switch -c fix/typo-in-readme
# ... make changes ...
git push origin fix/typo-in-readme
# Open a PR from yourname/fix/typo-in-readme → originalorg/main on GitHub
Common Remote Scenarios
Scenario 1: Teammate Pushed, Your Push Is Rejected
bash
git push origin main
# ! [rejected] main -> main (non-fast-forward)
# hint: Updates were rejected because the remote contains work you do not have locally.
# Solution: pull first, then push
git pull --rebase origin main
git push origin main
Scenario 2: Pull With Conflicts
bash
git pull --rebase origin main
# CONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in src/api.ts
# error: could not apply abc1234... feat: add rate limiting
# hint: Resolve all conflicts manually, mark them as resolved with git add
# Fix conflicts in src/api.ts, then:
git add src/api.ts
git rebase --continue
# Or abort the rebase
git rebase --abort
Scenario 3: Delete a Remote Branch
bash
# After merging a PR, delete the remote feature branch
git push origin --delete feature/user-auth
# Also delete the local tracking branch
git branch -d feature/user-auth
Scenario 4: Pull a Remote Branch You Don't Have Locally
bash
# Remote has feature/payments but you don't have it locally
git fetch origin
git switch feature/payments
# Git automatically creates a local tracking branch based on origin/feature/payments
Summary
| Operation | Command |
|---|---|
| Clone a repo | git clone git@github.com:org/repo.git |
| Add remote | git remote add origin <url> |
| List remotes | git remote -v |
| Push + set tracking | git push -u origin main |
| Push subsequent times | git push |
| Safe force push | git push --force-with-lease |
| Download without merging | git fetch origin |
| Download + merge | git pull --rebase |
| Delete remote branch | git push origin --delete branch-name |
| Check ahead/behind status | git branch -vv |
In the next lesson, you will learn the full Pull Request workflow — the code review process that gates every change going into main.