Step-by-step guide to upload all your files to a GitHub repo using SSH

Using SSH keys to interact with GitHub is more secure and avoids typing your username/password or token repeatedly.

Step-by-step guide to upload all your files to a GitHub repo using SSH.

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🧰 Prerequisites
- Git installed (git --version)
- GitHub account
- SSH key configured (we'll cover that below)

✅ Step 1: Create an SSH Key (if you don't already have one)

Check if you already have a key:
ls ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

If it exists, you can skip to Step 2.

Otherwise, generate one:
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "[email protected]"

Press Enter to accept the default file location.
Set a passphrase (optional but recommended).

📋 Step 2: Add Your SSH Key to GitHub (Copy the entire output)
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

Add it to GitHub:
- Go to https://github.com/settings/keys
- Click "New SSH key"
- Paste the key, give it a name, and save

Step 3: Configure SSH for GitHub (optional but helpful)
nano ~/.ssh/config

Add this:
Host github.com
  HostName github.com
  User git
  IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

🔐 Step 4: Test the SSH Connection
ssh -T [email protected]

You should see:
Hi yourusername! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access.

Step 5: Create a GitHub Repo (via website)
Go to https://github.com/new, create an empty repository without initializing with README.

📂 Step 6: Upload Your Files to GitHub (via SSH)
- Navigate to your project folder: (Copy new files if you want to copy)
cd /path/to/your/project

Initialize git:
git init

Add all files:
git add .

Step 7: Set Your Git Identity
git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"

Commit:
git commit -m "Initial commit"

📂 Step 7:Add your GitHub repo via SSH:
git remote add origin [email protected]:username/repo.git

📂 Step 8: Push
git push -u origin main

📂 EXTRAS: Delete files and add new files:
🧹 1. Delete the File Locally
rm path/to/file.ext

🧹 2. Tell Git About the Deletion:
rm path/to/file.ext

📌 adds changes to tracked files only:
- Stages deleted files
- Stages modified files
- Does not stage new (untracked) files
git add -u

📂 To Add New Files

1. Copy or create the new files in your repo folder (locally)
cp path/to/nefile.ext .

2. Add the new files to Git:
git add path/to/newfile.ext

Or to add everything new:
git add .

📝 Commit the Changes
git commit -m "Remove unused files and add new ones"

🚀 Push to GitHub
git push

🧽 Optional: Delete a Remote File Without Deleting It Locally
git rm --cached path/to/file.ext

📂 How to rename a file/folder in Git (do not use .ext for folders):

1. Use git mv to rename:
git mv old_filename.ext new_filename.ext

2. Commit the rename:
git commit -m "Rename old_filename.ext to new_filename.ext"

3. Push the changes (if you use remote repo):
git push