Moving a Git Repository

Every once in a while you might need to move a Git repository while preserving the history.

TL;DR

Here is how you can move or duplicate a Git repository from an initial repository https://github.com/username/old.git to a new repository https://github.com/username/new.git

git clone https://github.com/username/old.git
git remote rm origin
git remote add origin https://github.com/username/new.git
git push -u origin main

Background

My friend Leila built a website for Fearless into Tech community. She shared the code of the website on her GitHub profile.

Since more members in the community wished to contribute to the website, we created an organization on GitHub. That way anyone in the community could create issues, write code and improve the website. We then needed to move the repository from Leila's personal GitHub profile to the new organization while preserving the commit history to reflect her contributions.

Here is how you can move a Git repository:

1.

Clone the repository you want to move by running

git clone https://github.com/username/old.git

2.

Check remote repositories it is connected to by running

git remote -v

Output example showing a remote called origin which points to the original git repository.

origin https://github.com/username/old.git (fetch)
origin https://github.com/username/old.git (push)

3.

Remove the remote called origin by running

git remote rm origin

Check that the list of remotes was empty by running git remote -v

4.

Add a new remote and call it origin

git remote add origin https://github.com/username/new.git

5.

Push to the main branch of the new repository

git push -u origin main

Let me know if there is an easier way to do this :)

Moving a Git Repository

Comments

Git Gems

Multiple Git Accounts on One Computer

More from this blog

Advent of Code 2021: Day 14

Advent of Code 2021: Day 13

Advent of Code 2021: Day 12

Advent of Code 2021: Day 11

Advent of Code 2021: Day 10

TL;DR

Background

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Command Palette

Comments

Git Gems

Multiple Git Accounts on One Computer

More from this blog

TL;DR

Background

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.