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title, intro, redirect_from, versions, shortTitle

title

intro

redirect_from

versions

shortTitle

Managing remote repositories

Learn to work with your local repositories on your computer and remote repositories hosted on {% data variables.product.github %}.

/categories/18/articles

/remotes

/categories/managing-remotes

/articles/managing-remote-repositories

/articles/adding-a-remote

/github/using-git/adding-a-remote

/articles/changing-a-remote-s-url

/articles/changing-a-remotes-url

/github/using-git/changing-a-remotes-url

/articles/renaming-a-remote

/github/using-git/renaming-a-remote

/articles/removing-a-remote

/github/using-git/removing-a-remote

/github/using-git/managing-remote-repositories

/github/getting-started-with-github/managing-remote-repositories

/github/getting-started-with-github/getting-started-with-git/managing-remote-repositories

/get-started/getting-started-with-git/managing-remote-repositories

fpt	ghes	ghec
*	*	*

Manage remote repositories

{% ifversion ghec %}

[!NOTE] {% data reusables.enterprise-data-residency.access-domain %}

{% endif %}

Adding a remote repository

To add a new remote, use the git remote add command on the terminal, in the directory your repository is stored at.

The git remote add command takes two arguments:

A remote name, for example, origin
A remote URL, for example, https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/OWNER/REPOSITORY.git

For example:

$ git remote add origin https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/OWNER/REPOSITORY.git
# Set a new remote

$ git remote -v
# Verify new remote
> origin  https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/OWNER/REPOSITORY.git (fetch)
> origin  https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/OWNER/REPOSITORY.git (push)

For more information on which URL to use, see AUTOTITLE.

Troubleshooting: Remote origin already exists

This error means you've tried to add a remote with a name that already exists in your local repository.

$ git remote add origin https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/octocat/Spoon-Knife.git
> fatal: remote origin already exists.

To fix this, you can:

Use a different name for the new remote.
Rename the existing remote repository before you add the new remote. For more information, see Renaming a remote repository below.
Delete the existing remote repository before you add the new remote. For more information, see Removing a remote repository below.

Changing a remote repository's URL

The git remote set-url command changes an existing remote repository URL.

Tip

For information on the difference between HTTPS and SSH URLs, see AUTOTITLE.

The git remote set-url command takes two arguments:

An existing remote name. For example, origin or upstream are two common choices.
A new URL for the remote. For example:
- If you're updating to use HTTPS, your URL might look like:
```
https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/OWNER/REPOSITORY.git
```
- If you're updating to use SSH, your URL might look like:
```
git@{% data variables.product.product_url %}:OWNER/REPOSITORY.git
```

Switching remote URLs from SSH to HTTPS

{% data reusables.command_line.open_the_multi_os_terminal %}

Change the current working directory to your local project.

List your existing remotes in order to get the name of the remote you want to change.

$ git remote -v
> origin  git@{% data variables.product.product_url %}:OWNER/REPOSITORY.git (fetch)
> origin  git@{% data variables.product.product_url %}:OWNER/REPOSITORY.git (push)

Change your remote's URL from SSH to HTTPS with the git remote set-url command.

git remote set-url origin https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/OWNER/REPOSITORY.git

Verify that the remote URL has changed.

$ git remote -v
# Verify new remote URL
> origin  https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/OWNER/REPOSITORY.git (fetch)
> origin  https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/OWNER/REPOSITORY.git (push)

The next time you git fetch, git pull, or git push to the remote repository, you'll be asked for your GitHub username and password. {% data reusables.user-settings.password-authentication-deprecation %}

You can use a credential helper so Git will remember your GitHub username and {% data variables.product.pat_generic %} every time it talks to GitHub.

Switching remote URLs from HTTPS to SSH

{% data reusables.command_line.open_the_multi_os_terminal %}

Change the current working directory to your local project.

List your existing remotes in order to get the name of the remote you want to change.

$ git remote -v
> origin  https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/OWNER/REPOSITORY.git (fetch)
> origin  https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/OWNER/REPOSITORY.git (push)

Change your remote's URL from HTTPS to SSH with the git remote set-url command.

git remote set-url origin git@{% data variables.product.product_url %}:OWNER/REPOSITORY.git

Verify that the remote URL has changed.

$ git remote -v
# Verify new remote URL
> origin  git@{% data variables.product.product_url %}:OWNER/REPOSITORY.git (fetch)
> origin  git@{% data variables.product.product_url %}:OWNER/REPOSITORY.git (push)

Troubleshooting: No such remote '[name]'

This error means that the remote you tried to change doesn't exist:

$ git remote set-url sofake https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/octocat/Spoon-Knife
> fatal: No such remote 'sofake'

Check that you've correctly typed the remote name.

Renaming a remote repository

Use the git remote rename command to rename an existing remote.

The git remote rename command takes two arguments:

An existing remote name, for example, origin
A new name for the remote, for example, destination

Example of renaming a remote repository

These examples assume you're cloning using HTTPS, which is recommended.

$ git remote -v
# View existing remotes
> origin  https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/OWNER/REPOSITORY.git (fetch)
> origin  https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/OWNER/REPOSITORY.git (push)

$ git remote rename origin destination
# Change remote name from 'origin' to 'destination'

$ git remote -v
# Verify remote's new name
> destination  https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/OWNER/REPOSITORY.git (fetch)
> destination  https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/OWNER/REPOSITORY.git (push)

Troubleshooting: Could not rename config section 'remote.[old name]' to 'remote.[new name]'

This error means that the old remote name you typed doesn't exist.

You can check which remotes currently exist with the git remote -v command:

$ git remote -v
# View existing remotes
> origin  https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/OWNER/REPOSITORY.git (fetch)
> origin  https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}/OWNER/REPOSITORY.git (push)

Troubleshooting: Remote [new name] already exists

This error means that the remote name you want to use already exists. To solve this, either use a different remote name, or rename the original remote.

Removing a remote repository

Use the git remote rm command to remove a remote URL from your repository.

The git remote rm command takes one argument:

A remote name, for example, destination

Removing the remote URL from your repository only unlinks the local and remote repositories. It does not delete the remote repository.

Example of removing a remote repository