Clone and use a GitHub repository in Visual Studio Code

Learn the steps to clone a public repository from GitHub to your local computer using Visual Studio Code.

Open your remote repository

Open your remote repository on your local computer.

Activity bar

1. Install the Remote repository extension
2. Select the remote indicator in the lower left of Visual Studio Code.
3. Follow the prompts.

Status bar

This action isn't available from this feature. Select a different tab.

Command palette

1. Open the command palette with the key combination of Ctrl + Shift + P.
2. At the command palette prompt, enter gitcl, select the Git: Clone command, then select Clone from GitHub and press Enter.
3. When prompted for the Repository URL, select clone from GitHub, then press Enter.
4. If you're asked to sign into GitHub, complete the sign-in process.
5. Enter azure-samples/js-e2e-express-server in the Repository URL field.
6. Select (or create) the local directory into which you want to clone the project then select Select as Repository Destination.
7. When you receive the notification asking if you want to open the cloned repository, select Open.

Integrated terminal

1. Open an integrated terminal from Terminal -> New Terminal.

2. Clone your repo with the following git command:

   git clone https://github.com/YOUR-NAME-OR-ORGANIZATION/YOUR-REPO-NAME
   

3. Open in Visual Studio Code:

   code YOUR-REPO-NAME
   

Visual Studio Code uses Git authentication provided by the operating system (such as macOS KeyChain or Windows Credential manager) with any git functionality. Output is visible in Command Palette > Git: Show Git Output.

Open your local repository

If you have an existing repository on your local computer and want to open it in Visual Studio Code, just open the folder. Visual Studio Code recognizes the .git subfolder and display the relevant information.

Activity bar

1. Select Ctrl + K + O.
2. Select folder.

Status bar

This action isn't available from this feature. Select a different tab.

Command palette

1. Open the command palette with the key combination of Ctrl + Shift + P.
2. Filter with Git, then select Open repository.
3. Select the folder to select as the root of the repository.

Integrated terminal

1. Open an integrated terminal from Terminal -> New Terminal.

2. Open a new instance of Visual Studio Code for the repository directory:

   code ../dir1/dir2/my-repo
   

Initialize new repository

Use the following procedure to create a local source code repository with git.

Activity bar

1. Select source control from the activity bar, or use the key combination of Ctrl + Shift + G.

2. Select Initialize repository.

   

Status bar

This action isn't available from this feature. Select a different tab.

Command palette

1. Open the command palette with the key combination of Ctrl + Shift + P.
2. Filter with Git, then select Initialize repository.
3. Select the folder to select as the root of the repository.

Integrated terminal

1. Open an integrated terminal from Terminal -> New Terminal.

2. Initialize your folder with git with the following git command:

   git init
   

Once the repo is initialized, create the repository on GitHub. Then add that repository as a remote to your local project from the Command palette: search for Git: Add remote.

Create a branch for changes

Create a new branch to capture changes and isolate from the main or default branch.

Activity bar

1. Select source control from the activity bar.
2. Select ellipsis (...) next to Source Control.
3. Select Branch -> Create Branch.

Status bar

1. Select the branch name in the status bar. This opens the command palette.

   The status bar is found at the bottom of Visual Studio Code.

2. In the command palette, select +Create a new branch.

3. Enter your new branch name.

4. Enter a new branch name. The branch name is visible in the status bar.

   

Command palette

1. Open the command palette with the key combination of Ctrl + Shift + P.

2. Search for git branch and select Git: Create Branch.

   

3. Enter a new branch name, such as test.

4. The branch name is visible in the status bar.

   

Integrated terminal

1. Open an integrated terminal from Terminal -> New Terminal.

2. Create a new branch named MY-BRANCH with the following git command:

   git checkout -b MY-BRANCH
   

Commit changes locally

Once you have made changes on your branch, commit the changes.

Activity bar

1. Select source control from the activity bar.

2. Enter your commit message, then select Commit.

   

Status bar

This action isn't available from this feature. Select a different tab.

Command palette

1. Open the command palette with the key combination of Ctrl + Shift + P.
2. In the command palette, filter with Git then select Commit.
3. Enter your commit message, then press Enter.

Integrated terminal

1. Open an integrated terminal from Terminal -> New Terminal.

2. Create a new branch named MY-BRANCH with the following git command:

   git commit -m "YOUR COMMIT MESSAGE"
   

Push a local branch to GitHub

Activity bar

1. Select the Source Control icon from the activity bar.
2. Select Publish Branch. If the repository doesn't exist on GitHub, it creates the repository for you.

Status bar

1. On the Visual Studio Code status bar, select the push icon to the right of the branch name.

   

2. Select the remote name from the pop-up box. If you have just one remote, you won't be asked to select the remote name.

Command palette

1. Open the command palette with the key combination of Ctrl + Shift + P.
2. In the command palette, filter with Git then select Push.
3. If you have multiple upstream remotes, select the remote then press Enter.

Integrated terminal

1. Open an integrated terminal from Terminal -> New Terminal.

2. Create a new branch named MY-BRANCH with the following git command:

   git push <remote-name> <branch-name>
   

View Git output

You can view the Git commands run when you use the Source control extension. This helps debug when a command fails.

1. Select the Source Control icon from the activity bar.

2. Select the ellipsis (...) then select Show Git Output.

   

Visual Studio Code tools to work with Git and GitHub

Working in Visual Studio Code with a repository uses separate tools.

Icon	Information	Access from
	Git commands in command palette	F1
	Source control extension	Activity bar
	GitHub Pull Requests and Issues extension	Activity bar
	GitHub Repositories extension	You can quickly and easily open a GitHub repository either by searching for GitHub Repositories: Open Repository... from the Command Palette, F1, or by choosing Open GitHub Repository... from the remote indicator (the green button in the lower left corner of the status bar).

Related resources

• How to deploy a web app
• Working with GitHub in Visual Studio Code
• Using Visual Studio Code with other version control providers