Push Code from VS Code to GitHub/GitLab

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure you have:

• Git Installed: Download here if you haven't.

• GitLab/GitHub Account: Sign up at GitLab.com or GitHub.com

• Personal Access Token (PAT): 1. Go to User Settings → Access Tokens.

  1. Name it (e.g., "VSCode-Access").

  2. Select the write_repository scope.

  3. Copy the token immediately—you won't see it again!

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Which Command Should I Use?

Choosing the right starting point is the most common hurdle for beginners.

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Step 1: Create a GitLab Project

1. Log in to GitLab/GitHub.

2. Click New Project → Create Blank Project.

3. Project Name: my-first-lab.

4. Visibility: Private (recommended for beginners).

5. Click Create project.

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Step 2: Connect Your Local Folder to GitLab

Open VS Code, open your project folder, and open the terminal (Ctrl + ~).

Run these commands in order:

# 1. Initialize the local repository
git init

# 2. Configure your identity (Only needed once per PC)
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your@email.com"

# 3. Connect your local folder to your GitLab project
git remote add origin https://gitlab.com/your-username/my-first-lab.git

# 4. Stage and commit your files
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit: Adding my first files"

# 5. Push to GitLab
git push -u origin main

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Step 3: Authentication (The "Password" Trick)

When you run git push, a popup or terminal prompt will appear. Important: Your standard GitLab password will not work here if you have 2FA enabled or for security reasons.

• Username: Your GitLab username (e.g., bilal-amjad).

• Password: Paste your Personal Access Token (PAT) that you created in the prerequisites.

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💡 Best Practice: Using .gitignore

You don't want to push "junk" files or sensitive secrets to GitLab. Create a file named .gitignore in your root folder and add these lines:

# Ignore Terraform state files (Security Best Practice)
.terraform/
*.tfstate
*.tfstate.backup

# Ignore OS-specific files
.DS_Store
Thumbs.db

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Summary of the "Big Three" Commands

• git add . → "Prepare these files for a snapshot."

• git commit -m "message" → "Take the snapshot and give it a name."

• git push → "Send my local snapshots to the GitLab cloud."

🔄 GitLab vs GitHub: Push Workflow Comparison

If you are facing error like this:

If you're encountering a 403 error, try checking your credentials by navigating to Control Panel →

Credential Manager → Windows Credentials.