How To Use Github With Visual Studio Code: A Step-By-Step Guide

by Devop · 06/07/2024

Using GitHub with Visual Studio Code (VS Code) makes managing and sharing your code simple and efficient. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned developer, VS Code’s integration with GitHub offers a seamless experience for version control and collaboration. This guide will walk you through the steps to set up and use GitHub with VS Code, covering everything from initializing a repository to handling pull requests and using GitHub Actions.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

Setting up GitHub with VS Code is straightforward and enhances your coding workflow.
You can initialize new repositories directly from VS Code, making it easy to start new projects.
Cloning and managing repositories in VS Code is simple with the Command Palette and terminal.
VS Code allows you to make changes, commit, and push code to GitHub effortlessly.
Advanced features like GitHub Actions and Codespaces can be managed directly within VS Code.

Setting Up GitHub with Visual Studio Code

To get started with GitHub in Visual Studio Code, you need to set up Git on your computer. This guide will walk you through the process step-by-step, ensuring you have everything configured correctly for a smooth development experience.

Initializing a New Repository in VS Code

When you’re ready to start a new project, initializing a Git repository in Visual Studio Code is a crucial first step. This process allows you to track changes, collaborate with others, and manage your code efficiently.

Cloning a GitHub Repository into VS Code

Using the Command Palette

To clone a GitHub repository using the Command Palette in Visual Studio Code, follow these steps:

Open Visual Studio Code and click on the Source Control icon on the activity bar.
Select Clone Repository from the options.
In the Command Palette dropdown, choose GitHub as your hosting service.
Enter the URL of the repository you want to clone.
Choose a local directory where you want to save the cloned repository.

Cloning via the Terminal

If you prefer using the terminal, you can clone a repository with a few simple commands:

Open the terminal in Visual Studio Code.
Type git clone followed by the URL of the GitHub repository.
Press Enter and wait for the repository to be cloned to your local machine.
Navigate to the cloned repository folder using the terminal.

Opening the Cloned Repository

Once the repository is cloned, you can open it in Visual Studio Code:

Go to File > Open Folder.
Navigate to the directory where you cloned the repository.
Select the folder and click Open.

Cloning a repository allows you to bring the cloud-based source code into your local development environment, making it easier to manage and collaborate on projects.

Tip: You can also use the welcome screen in VS Code to quickly clone a repository by clicking on the ‘Clone Git Repository’ quick link.

Making Changes and Committing Code

Editing Files in VS Code

When working on your project, you will often need to make changes to your code. Open the file you want to edit in Visual Studio Code and make your changes. Remember to save your work frequently to avoid losing any progress.

Staging Changes

After editing your files, the next step is to stage your changes. Staging allows you to prepare specific changes for a commit. In VS Code, you can do this by selecting the changes you want to stage and clicking the "+" icon next to the file name in the Source Control panel.

Committing Changes

Once your changes are staged, it’s time to commit them. Write a clear and concise commit message that explains the purpose of the changes. Then, click the checkmark icon to commit your changes. This saves your changes to the local Git repository, allowing you to revert to previous versions if needed.

Tip: Commit your changes early and often. This makes it easier to revert back to previous versions of your code if needed.

Pushing Changes to GitHub

Connecting to the Remote Repository

Before you can push your changes, you need to connect your local repository to a remote one on GitHub. This is done by adding the remote URL to your local Git configuration. Open the terminal in VS Code and use the command:

 git remote add origin <your-repo-URL>

This command links your local repository to the remote repository on GitHub.

Pushing Commits

Once your remote repository is connected, you can start pushing your changes. To push your changes from VS Code, follow these steps:

Save your changes to the files.
Go to the Source Control view by clicking the Source Control icon on the left sidebar.
Type a commit message in the message box.
Click the arrow next to the Commit button and select ‘Commit & Push’.

Alternatively, you can use the terminal to push your changes by running:

git push origin main

Replace main with your branch name if you are not using the default branch.

Verifying the Push

After pushing your changes, it’s important to verify that they have been successfully uploaded to GitHub. You can do this by navigating to your repository on GitHub and checking the commit history. If your recent changes appear there, the push was successful.

Always ensure your local changes are committed before pushing to avoid any conflicts or data loss.

By following these steps, you can easily push your changes from VS Code to GitHub, keeping your remote repository up-to-date with your latest work.

Creating and Managing Branches

Creating a New Branch

Creating a new branch in Visual Studio Code is straightforward. Click on the branch indicator in the Status bar, which shows the current branch. From there, you can choose to create a new branch from the current branch or another local one. Type a name for the new branch and confirm. VS Code creates a new branch and switches to it, allowing you to make changes without affecting the main branch.

Switching Between Branches

Switching between branches is just as easy. Click on the branch indicator in the Status bar. One great feature of the GitHub Repositories extension is that you can switch branches without needing to stash uncommitted changes. The extension remembers your changes and reapplies them when you switch branches.

Merging Branches

Merging branches is a crucial part of managing your code. Use the Create button menu to select alternative create options, such as Create Draft or enable an Auto-Merge method. Once you select Create, if you haven’t already pushed your branch to a GitHub remote, the extension will ask if you’d like to publish the branch and provides a dropdown to select the specific remote.

Handling Pull Requests in VS Code

Creating a Pull Request

To use pull requests in VS Code, you need to install the GitHub Pull Requests and Issues extension. This extension adds PR and issue tracking functionality to VS Code, allowing you to create, review, and merge PRs from within the editor. Pull requests are an essential tool in GitHub for code review. These reviews help catch issues in new features and allow teammates to share feedback.

Reviewing Pull Requests

VS Code has a comment API for code review comments. This is used by the GitHub Pull Request extension to show comments from pull requests inside VS Code. You can easily pull changes from the 3 dot ellipsis on the VS Code Side Bar. First, click the ellipses from the source control view, and then select Pull from the dropdown menu. To pull changes from the integrated terminal, run git pull.

Merging Pull Requests

From the Description page, you can also easily checkout the pull request locally using the Checkout button. This will switch VS Code to open the fork and branch of the pull request (visible in the Status bar) in Review Mode and add a new Changes in Pull Request view from which you can view diffs of the current changes as well as all commits and the changes within these commits. Files that have been commented on are decorated with a diamond icon. To view the file on disk, you can use the Open File inline.

Using GitHub Issues in VS Code

Creating Issues

To get started with GitHub Issues in VS Code, you need to install the GitHub Pull Requests and Issues extension. This extension allows you to create, view, and manage issues directly from your editor. Open VS Code and go to the Extensions tab from the left sidebar. Search for ‘GitHub Pull Requests and Issues’ and click on the Install button. Once installed, you can create a new issue by navigating to the GitHub tab in VS Code, clicking on ‘Issues’, and then selecting ‘Create Issue’. Fill in the necessary details and submit.

Linking Issues to Commits

Linking issues to commits is a great way to keep track of your progress and ensure that every change is documented. When you make a commit, include the issue number in the commit message. For example, you can write Fixes #123 to automatically link the commit to issue #123. This helps in providing feedback and keeping your project organized.

Closing Issues

Once you’ve resolved an issue, you can close it directly from VS Code. Navigate to the GitHub tab, find the issue you want to close, and click on the ‘Close Issue’ button. This will update the issue status on GitHub without you having to leave your editor. It’s a seamless way to manage your issues and keep your workflow efficient.

Using GitHub Issues in VS Code streamlines your development process, making it easier to track and manage tasks without switching contexts.

Exploring GitHub Codespaces in VS Code

Setting Up Codespaces

To get started with GitHub Codespaces in Visual Studio Code, you first need to install the Codespaces extension from the Visual Studio Code Marketplace. Once installed, sign in with your GitHub account. This setup allows you to create, manage, and work in codespaces directly from VS Code.

Developing in a Codespace

After setting up, you can create a new codespace by navigating to your GitHub repository, clicking on the "Code" tab, and selecting "Open with Codespaces." Wait for the codespace to initialize, and you’re ready to start coding. This environment is fully configured and ready to use, making it easy to jump right into development.

Managing Codespaces

Managing your codespaces is straightforward. You can change the machine type, delete a codespace, or switch to the VS Code Insiders version if you prefer. This flexibility ensures that your development environment meets your needs, whether you’re working on a small project or a large-scale application.

GitHub Codespaces revolutionizes coding practices by enhancing developer productivity, reducing development time, and streamlining code review processes. It fosters team collaboration and simplifies code sharing and merging.

By using GitHub Codespaces, you can significantly improve your workflow and productivity, making it an essential tool for any developer. Whether you’re working solo or as part of a team, Codespaces offers a seamless and efficient coding experience.

Utilizing GitHub Actions in VS Code

GitHub Actions is a powerful feature that allows you to automate your software workflows directly from your GitHub repository. By integrating GitHub Actions with Visual Studio Code, you can streamline your development process and enhance your productivity.

Setting Up GitHub Actions

To get started with GitHub Actions in VS Code, you first need to navigate to the Actions tab in your GitHub repository. Here, you can find a variety of preconfigured workflows that can help you automate tasks such as building, testing, and deploying your code. Simply select a workflow that suits your needs and follow the on-screen instructions to set it up.

Running Workflows

Once you have set up your workflows, you can easily run them from within VS Code. To do this, open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) and type GitHub: Run Workflow. Select the workflow you want to run, and VS Code will execute it for you. This seamless integration allows you to manage your workflows without leaving your code editor.

Monitoring Workflow Results

After running your workflows, it’s important to monitor their results to ensure everything is working as expected. In VS Code, you can view the status of your workflows by navigating to the GitHub Actions panel. Here, you can see detailed logs and results for each workflow run, making it easy to identify and fix any issues that may arise.

Pro Tip: Use GitHub Actions to automate repetitive tasks and save time. With a wide range of preconfigured actions available, you can quickly set up workflows for tasks like building, testing, and deploying your code.

By leveraging GitHub Actions in VS Code, you can take your development process to the next level. Whether you’re working with Azure DevOps, AWS DevOps, or other DevOps tooling, GitHub Actions provides a flexible and powerful solution for automating your workflows.

Collaborating with Others on GitHub

Inviting Collaborators

To start collaborating, you need to invite others to your repository. [GitHub organizations](https://resources.github.com/learn/pathways/administration-governance/essentials/strategies-for-using-organizations-github-enterprise-cloud/) are a great way to manage access and work together on multiple projects. Simply go to your repository settings, find the ‘Collaborators’ section, and add the GitHub usernames of your team members. They will receive an invitation to join your project.

Managing Permissions

Once your collaborators have joined, it’s important to manage their permissions. GitHub allows you to set different levels of access, such as read, write, or admin. This ensures that everyone has the appropriate level of control over the project. You can adjust these settings in the ‘Manage Access’ section of your repository settings.

Using Live Share for Real-Time Collaboration

For real-time collaboration, consider using Live Share. This feature allows you to share your VS Code session with others, enabling them to edit and debug code together with you. It’s a powerful tool for pair programming and troubleshooting issues on the spot.

With Live Share, you can [collaborate with others in real-time](https://github.com/ueberdosis/tiptap/blob/main/packages/extension-collaboration/src/collaboration.ts), making it easier to solve problems and develop features together.

By following these steps, you can effectively collaborate with your team on GitHub, making your development process smoother and more efficient.

Working together on GitHub can be a game-changer for your projects. It makes sharing code and ideas super easy. Want to learn more tips and tricks? Visit our website for more information!

Conclusion

Using GitHub with Visual Studio Code is a powerful way to manage your code and collaborate with others. This guide has walked you through the steps to set up and use GitHub within VS Code, from installing Git to pushing your changes. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned developer, integrating these tools can streamline your workflow and make version control easier. Now that you have the basics down, you can explore more advanced features and take your coding projects to the next level. Happy coding!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I install Git on my computer?

To install Git, go to the official Git website and download the installer for your operating system. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

How do I sign into GitHub from Visual Studio Code?

In VS Code, click on the Accounts icon in the lower left corner and choose ‘Sign in to GitHub’. Follow the prompts to log in with your GitHub credentials.

What is a .gitignore file?

A .gitignore file tells Git which files or directories to ignore in a project. This is useful for excluding files that you don’t want to track, like temporary files or build outputs.

How do I clone a GitHub repository in VS Code?

You can clone a repository by opening the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P), typing ‘Git: Clone’, and then pasting the repository URL. Follow the prompts to complete the cloning process.

How do I make my first commit in VS Code?

After making changes to your files, go to the Source Control view, stage your changes, and then click on the checkmark icon to commit. Add a commit message and confirm the commit.

What is a pull request?

A pull request is a way to propose changes to a repository. It allows you to notify others about changes you’ve pushed to a branch in a GitHub repository. They can review, discuss, and merge the changes.

How do I push changes to GitHub from VS Code?

After committing your changes, go to the Source Control view and click on the ‘Push’ button to upload your commits to the remote repository on GitHub.

What is GitHub Codespaces?

GitHub Codespaces is a cloud-based development environment. It allows you to develop in a fully configured environment directly in your browser or in Visual Studio Code, making it easier to start coding without setting up a local environment.