To find the original URL of a local Git repository, you can use the git remote show origin command. This command displays information about the remote repository associated with the local repository, including the URL. Here are the steps to find the original URL of a local Git repository:
Step 1: Open the Terminal or Command Prompt
Open the Terminal or Command Prompt on your computer. This is where you will enter the Git commands to find the original URL of the local repository.
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Step 2: Navigate to the Local Repository
Navigate to the directory that contains the local Git repository you want to find the original URL for. Use the cd command followed by the directory path to navigate to the correct location. For example:
cd /path/to/repository
Replace /path/to/repository with the actual path to your local Git repository.
Step 3: Run the git remote show origin Command
Run the git remote show origin command to display information about the remote repository associated with the local repository. This command will show the URL of the original remote repository. Here’s an example:
$ git remote show origin
* remote origin
Fetch URL: https://github.com/username/repository.git
Push URL: https://github.com/username/repository.git
HEAD branch: main
Remote branches:
main tracked
feature tracked
Local branch configured for 'git pull':
main merges with remote main
Local ref configured for 'git push':
main pushes to main (up to date)
In the output, look for the lines that start with “Fetch URL” and “Push URL”. These lines will contain the original URL of the remote repository.
Step 4: Note Down the Original URL
Note down the original URL of the remote repository displayed in the output of the git remote show origin command. You can either copy the URL or write it down for future reference. The URL will typically start with https:// or git@.
Related Article: How to Git Pull from a Specific Branch
Alternative Method: Check the Git Config File
If the git remote show origin command doesn’t provide the desired information, you can also check the Git config file directly. The Git config file contains the configuration settings for the local repository, including the URL of the remote repository. Here’s how you can check the Git config file:
Step 1: Open the Terminal or Command Prompt
Open the Terminal or Command Prompt on your computer.
Step 2: Navigate to the Local Repository
Navigate to the directory that contains the local Git repository you want to find the original URL for. Use the cd command followed by the directory path to navigate to the correct location. For example:
cd /path/to/repository
Replace /path/to/repository with the actual path to your local Git repository.
Step 3: Open the Git Config File
Open the Git config file using a text editor. The Git config file is located in the .git directory of the local repository. Use the following command to open the file:
vi .git/config
This command opens the Git config file in the Vi text editor. You can replace vi with any other text editor of your choice.
Step 4: Find the URL in the Config File
Search for the URL of the remote repository in the Git config file. Look for a section that starts with [remote "origin"] and contains the line url = <URL>. The <URL> will be the original URL of the remote repository.
Step 5: Note Down the Original URL
Note down the original URL of the remote repository found in the Git config file. You can either copy the URL or write it down for future reference.
Best Practices
When finding the original URL of a local Git repository, it’s important to follow these best practices:
– Use the git remote show origin command as the primary method to find the original URL of a local Git repository. This command provides detailed information about the remote repository, including the URL, branches, and more.
– If the git remote show origin command doesn’t provide the desired information, only then consider checking the Git config file directly.
– Make sure you have the necessary permissions to access the remote repository. Without the proper permissions, you won’t be able to fetch or push changes to the remote repository.
– Double-check the URL to ensure it is correct and complete. A missing or incorrect URL can cause issues when fetching or pushing changes to the remote repository.