Sync local repo with the original on GitHub (Git merge upstream)

Time needed: 10 minutes.

How to synchronize your forked and local repositories with the original one on GitHub?

1. Open a command prompt

   Open Git Bash or similar command prompt with git executable available. Shouldn’t really matter what your terminal or command prompt is called as long as git executable is added to your PATH.

2. Change the current working directory to your local project.

   Now we’ll change the current working directory to be your project folder. This can be done by running the following command:
   
   cd [your_project_directory]

3. Change to your desired branch

   Changing to our default/compare branch is going to be our next hurdle. You’ll probably want to merge to your main or master – so make sure it’s checked out!
   
   You can change it from GitHub Desktop (if you’re using it), or you can run this:
   
   git checkout [branch_name]
4. Configure the origin as a remote repository

   Now we’ll need to add the “origin” of the repository as a “remote repository” to your local git. This needs to be done to enable you to fetch the new commits from it. You can verify if it already is by running this:
   
   git remote -v
   
   The remote repository’s github.com url should be displayed in the list. If it isn’t, then run this:
   
   git remote add upstream https://github.com/ORIGINAL_OWNER/ORIGINAL_REPOSITORY.git

5. Sync your local repository with the upstream (the original one)

   Now we’ll sync our local changes with what’s new in the origin repo. Run the following command in the command prompt:
   
   git fetch upstream

6. Perform merge

   Now we’ll merge! Run this:
   
   git merge upstream/master
   
   If you get a text editor window in your bash, that’s just Vi asking for your commit comment for your merge. Don’t have to enter anything, just write “:wq” and you should be good.
   
   If you’re on Windows, install the latest git version and it’ll actually let you set Visual Studio Code as the default text editor.
7. Push your local changes to your repository

   “Your local changes” = your merge from upstream = all of the new stuff from the original repository on GitHub.
   
   You can perform this step in GitHub Desktop, or by running this in your console prompt:
   
   git push