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.

Clone repository

To get started, download the sample project, https://github.com/Azure-Samples/js-e2e-express-server, using the following steps:

From 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 are 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.

   

7. When you receive the notification asking if you want to open the cloned repository, select Open.

From 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. Change your terminal into that new subdirectory:

   cd YOUR-REPO-NAME
   

4. Then open in Visual Studio Code:

   code .
   

Initialize new repository

If you don't have a GitHub repository yet, but would like to start your project locally, initialize your folder with git.

From activity bar

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

2. Select Initialize repository.

   

From 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.

Create a branch for changes

From 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.

   

From status bar

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

   The status bar is usually 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.

   

From 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.

From 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.

   

From status bar

1. Switch to the activity bar and select the Source control icon or use the keyboard commands: Ctrl + Shift + G.

2. In the command palette, filter with Git then select Commit.

3. Enter your commit message, then press Enter.

   

Push a local branch to GitHub

From 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.

From 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.

From source control extension

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

2. Select the ellipsis (...) then select: Push or Push to.

   

3. 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.

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).

Next steps

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