Pushing Your Code to GitHub with VS Code – A Step-by-Step Guide

Know how to create repo, link GitHub account, & push code through VS Code

Version control helps developers track changes, collaborate, and share their code easily. And GitHub has become one of the most popular version control platforms among developers. If you write and run code in Visual Studio Code, you can seamlessly push your projects to GitHub as well.

This guide will walk you through the straightforward process of pushing your code to GitHub using VS Code. Whether you are pushing an existing local project or starting a new one from scratch, we’ve got you covered. By following these steps, you’ll have your code hosted in a GitHub repository for sharing and collaboration.

Prerequisites

Before pushing to GitHub from VS Code, you’ll need:

  • A GitHub account
  • Git installed and configured
  • The VS Code editor
  • A project folder containing code you want to push

We’ll go through exactly how to set these components up as we go. Once the prerequisites are met, you’ll be ready to start pushing.

Connect VS Code to Your GitHub Account

The first step is linking your GitHub account within VS Code.

  1. Open VS Code and click the Source Control icon.
  2. Click the Manage button.
  3. Select GitHub under the REMOTE section.
  4. Follow the authentication prompts to securely connect VS Code to GitHub.

Now your editor knows about your GitHub account.

Initialize Local Git Repository

Since Git is the underlying version control software, our project folder needs a Git repository initialized.

  1. Open your project folder in VS Code.
  2. Open the command palette (Shift + Cmd + P on macOS or Shift + Ctrl + P on Windows)
  3. Type “git init” and press enter to initialize repo. A .git hidden folder is added.

Your project folder is now under Git version control.

Create GitHub Repository

Before pushing code, a repository needs to be created in GitHub to receive it.

  1. Login to your GitHub account.
  2. Click the “+” icon and select “New repository”.
  3. Give your repo a name matching your local folder name.
  4. Choose public or private access.
  5. Click “Create Repository”

You can also clone an exisiting open-source repository in GitHub and clone it.

Your online GitHub repository is ready to go!

Push Local Code to GitHub

With all the pieces in place, you can finally push your local code to GitHub.

  1. In VS Code source control, enter a commit message and click the check to commit your changes locally.
  2. Click the “Publish Branch” icon.
  3. Ensure push to remote is selected over commit to master in the prompt.
  4. Press enter and wait for the process to complete!

Once finished without errors, reload your GitHub repository page and your code will now be live. You successfully pushed from your machine.

Extra Tips

Here are some additional pointers for keeping your project repositories in sync:

  • Pull remote changes frequently
  • Create separate branches for new features
  • Squash commits for a clean project history
  • Enable auto-syncing under GitHub settings

Now you are ready to collaborate, share your code, and work from any machine by connecting VS Code and syncing with your online GitHub repositories!