7  Creating a New Repository with Git GUI

Learning Objectives

  • Understand what it means to create a new repository on GitHub

  • Successfully create a repository in GitHub using Git GUI

  • Identify common errors and learn how to fix them

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Open Git GUI.

  2. Click Create New Repository.

  3. Choose or create a folder where the new repository will be initialized.

  4. Git GUI will create an empty repository in that folder. Open the folder in a file browser and add your project files or create a new file (e.g., README.md).

  5. To push the new repository to GitHub:

    • First, create a new repository on GitHub.com without initializing it with a README.
    • Back in Git GUI, go to Remote > Add and paste the GitHub repo URL.
    • Set the remote name to master.
    • Go to Remote > Push to upload your local repository to GitHub.

  6. In Git GUI, click “Rescan” to see added files.

  7. Stage changes by clicking “Stage Changed”.

  8. Write a commit message (e.g., “Initial commit”) and click “Commit”.

Video Tutorial

Create the Repository

Initialize the Repository on GitHub

Push the Repository to GitHub

Troubleshooting

  • Remote repository not found: Make sure you created the repository on GitHub and that the URL is correct. Git GUI does not include functionality to create a new repository on GitHub.

    It can only:

    • Create a local Git repository on your computer
    • Connect to an existing remote repository (one that already exists on GitHub)
    • Push local changes to that existing remote

  • Authentication failed: Use a personal access token (PAT) if prompted for your GitHub credentials.

  • Push fails due to README conflict: Ensure your GitHub repo was created without a README, license, or .gitignore to avoid merge conflicts.

  • Changes not appearing: Click “Rescan” to refresh the list of changed files in Git GUI.

Additional Resources