Start using Git via the command line with the most basic
commands as described below.
## Initialize a local directory for Git version control
If you have an existing local directory that you want to *initialize* for version control, use the `init` command to instruct Git to begin tracking the directory:
```bash
git init
```
This creates a `.git` directory that contains the Git configuration files.
Once the directory has been initialized, you can [add a remote repository](#add-a-remote-repository) and [send changes to GitLab.com](#send-changes-to-gitlabcom). View the instructions on [Create a project](../gitlab-basics/create-project.html#push-to-create-a-new-project) to create a new project on GitLab with your changes.
### Clone a repository
To start working locally on an existing remote repository,
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@@ -140,6 +152,16 @@ To view your remote repositories, type:
git remote -v
```
### Add a remote repository
To add a link to a remote repository:
```bash
git remote add SOURCE-NAME REPOSITORY-PATH
```
You'll use this source name every time you [push changes to GitLab.com](#send-changes-to-gitlabcom), so use something easy to remember and type.
### Create a branch
To create a branch, type the following (spaces won't be recognized in the branch name, so you will need to use a hyphen or underscore):
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@@ -193,7 +215,7 @@ git commit -m "COMMENT TO DESCRIBE THE INTENTION OF THE COMMIT"
NOTE: **Note:**
The `.` character typically means _all_ in Git.
### Send changes to gitlab.com
### Send changes to GitLab.com
To push all local commits to the remote repository:
