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.

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

   This can be done running the following command:
   
   cd [your_project_directory]

3. Change to your desired branch

   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

   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
   
   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)

   Run the following command in command prompt:
   
   git fetch upstream

6. Perform 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 comsole prompt:
   
   git push