Chapter 24: Git Push to GitHub
Git push to GitHub
This is the moment when your local commits (the snapshots you created on your laptop) get sent up to GitHub so that:
- your team can see them
- your code is backed up in the cloud
- you can create Pull Requests
- deployments can happen (GitHub Actions, Vercel, Netlify, etc.)
- you look like a real developer to your friends & interviewers 😄
I’m going to explain it very slowly and clearly, like I’m literally watching over your shoulder while you type — with real commands, real outputs, common mistakes, and the exact mental model you need in 2026.
1. What does git push actually do?
git push = “send my local commits to the remote repository”
More precisely:
- It takes the commits that exist only on your machine (not yet on GitHub)
- Uploads them to the named remote (usually origin)
- Moves the remote branch pointer to match your local one
Simple analogy:
- Your laptop = your private notebook with new pages you wrote
- GitHub = the shared Google Drive folder
- git push = “upload my new pages so everyone else can read them”
Important facts in 2026:
- You cannot push without having commits first (git commit)
- You cannot push to a branch that doesn’t exist on remote unless you use -u the first time
- GitHub may ask for authentication (HTTPS → PAT, SSH → key passphrase)
2. Prerequisites (must be true before any push works)
Before you ever run git push, make sure:
-
You have a remote set
Bash0123456git remote -vShould show something like:
text01234567origin git@github.com:Webliance/my-todo-app.git (fetch)origin git@github.com:Webliance/my-todo-app.git (push)If empty → see previous lesson “Git Set Remote from GitHub”
-
You have commits that are not yet on GitHub
Bash0123456git log --oneline --graph --decorate --allLook for commits with no remote-tracking branch label (like [origin/main])
-
You are authenticated
- SSH → ssh -T git@github.com should say “Hi Webliance! …”
- HTTPS → PAT saved in credential helper or you have it ready
3. Hands-on Example – Typical First Push
You already have a local repo with 2–3 commits:
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git log --oneline # shows: # def5678 Add search bar with JS filter # abc1234 Initial commit: basic HTML + README |
You just created an empty repo on GitHub called my-todo-app (no README checked).
Now the magic push:
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# 1. Name your current branch main (only needed once) git branch -M main # 2. Push + set upstream tracking (the -u is very important the first time) git push -u origin main |
First time you will see something like:
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Enumerating objects: 9, done. Counting objects: 100% (9/9), done. Delta compression using up to 8 threads Compressing objects: 100% (6/6), done. Writing objects: 100% (9/9), 1.23 KiB | 1.23 MiB/s, done. Total 9 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0), pack-reused 0 To github.com:Webliance/my-todo-app.git * [new branch] main -> main Branch 'main' set up to track remote branch 'main' from 'origin'. |
→ Success! 🎉 Your commits are now on GitHub.
Refresh github.com → your repo shows the files & commit history.
From now on (because of -u) you can just do:
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git push |
4. Everyday push examples (what you type daily)
Push current branch (most common)
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git push # or explicit (safer when learning): git push origin feat/add-dark-mode |
Push a new branch for the first time
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git switch -c feat/add-dark-mode # ... work & commit ... git push -u origin feat/add-dark-mode |
Force push (dangerous – only if you know what you’re doing)
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git push --force-with-lease origin feat/add-dark-mode |
→ Use –force-with-lease instead of plain –force (protects against overwriting someone else’s work)
Push tags
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git tag -a v1.0.0 -m "First stable release" git push origin v1.0.0 # or all tags: git push --tags |
5. Common Push Errors & Fixes (2026 reality)
| Error message / symptom | Most likely reason & fix |
|---|---|
| “Everything up-to-date” | No new commits locally → make a commit first |
| “src refspec main does not match any” | Forgot git branch -M main or no commits yet → commit + branch -M main |
| “Permission denied (publickey)” | SSH not set up → test ssh -T git@github.com or use HTTPS |
| “Updates were rejected … non-fast-forward” | Remote has commits you don’t have → git pull first, resolve conflicts, then push |
| “fatal: The current branch has no upstream” | First push of branch → use -u (git push -u origin your-branch) |
| Asks for username/password every time | HTTPS without credential helper → switch to SSH or configure credential helper |
6. Safe Daily Workflow with push (what pros do)
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# Morning git switch main git pull # New work git switch -c feat/DEV-123-search # work → add → commit (multiple times!) # Ready to share git push -u origin feat/DEV-123-search # → go to GitHub → create Pull Request |
After PR merged:
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git switch main git pull git branch -d feat/DEV-123-search |
Got the push feeling now? git push = “upload my new commits to GitHub so the world/team can see them”
Next?
- Want to see what happens when push gets rejected (non-fast-forward)?
- How to push force-with-lease safely?
- Or move to creating your first Pull Request from pushed branch?
Just tell me — we’ll continue the class step by step. You’re doing really well! 🚀
