Remote Repository
You might say
My commits only exist on my computer. How can others see them?
A repository accessible elsewhere that exchanges commits with a local repositoryYou commit B locally, while remote main (origin) on GitHub still points to A; B exists only on your computer until push sends it to the remote. A teammate can then build commit C on the remote history. If the remote has commits missing locally, a direct push is rejected. Pull fetches first, then integrates remote commits using the configured merge or rebase behavior. origin is a common remote name; pushing to a repository does not mean a website has been deployed.
Know first
Remoteorigin
When to use it
- Check the linked remote addresses$ git remote -vorigin https://github.com/you/my-first-page.git (fetch)
- Name the default remote origin$ git remote add origin https://github.com/you/my-first-page.gitCloning usually sets up origin automatically
- After a rejected push, review remote commits, pull to integrate them, then decide whether to pushgit pull→git push→Push succeeded ✓
- Clone copies the remote’s current commits and commonly names that remote origin$ git clone https://github.com/you/my-first-page.gitCloning into 'my-first-page'...
When NOT to use it
- Commit secrets or .env files and push them.env holds keys; after pushing anyone can read themNever commit keys or passwords to a repository
- Force push over remote history after a rejectiongit push --force erased the 3 commits a teammate just pushedWhen rejected, pull and merge instead of force pushing
- Push to the wrong remote addressPushed to someone else's repository addressConfirm the address with git remote -v before pushing
- Assume pushing means the site is deployedgit push ✓→The site did not update
Anatomy
https://github.com/you/my-first-page.git
Points to a network-accessible repository; origin is a common nickname, and renaming it does not change the repository content.
Variants
remote -v
git remote -v
See which remote addresses this repository is linked to
remote add
git remote add origin https://…
When the local repository has no remote address yet
push
git push origin main
Send local commits to the remote repository
pull
git pull origin main
Fetch remote commits, then integrate them locally using the configured behavior
Typical use cases
Local commit B has not been sent to the remote
Shared starting point: A
Local main: A → B (HEAD)
Remote main (origin): A
Commit BNot sent yet
Hosted repositoryStill at A
A commit first exists in the local repository. The remote branch moves only after a successful push.
Both sides have A and B after push
Local main: A → B (HEAD)
Remote main (origin): A → B
| Local repository | Has B |
| Remote main (origin) | Has B |
What push doesSends reachable commits to the remote
A remote commit is available to others; deployment still depends on a separate deployment process.
A teammate adds C and local push is rejected
Local main: A → B (HEAD)
Remote main (origin): A → B → C
| A | Local + remote |
| B | Local + remote |
| C · teammate's fix | Remote; not local yet |
git push origin main
! [rejected] main (non-fast-forward)
The remote has C, which your local branch lacks. Git rejects a direct push to protect the other commit; inspect and integrate C first.
Pull integrates C according to configuration
git pull origin main
Local main: A → B → C (HEAD)
Local tracking ref origin/main: A → B → C
Remote main (origin): A → B → C
First, pullFetches remote commits
Then, pullIntegrates using configured merge / rebase
In this exampleLinear history can fast-forward to C
Review C, then integrate according to the project's pull configuration. Keeping the teammate's commit brings both histories back in sync.
Further reading