Creating Git Repositories

Learning Objectives

Learn how to initialize a new Git repository using git init
Understand the structure of a newly created repository
Explore common initialization options and best practices
Practice creating and verifying repository setup

Initializing a Git Repository

Creating a Git repository is your first step in version control. There are two main ways to start with Git: initializing a new repository or cloning an existing one. In this lesson, we'll focus on creating a new repository from scratch.

The git init Command

Initialize a Git Repository

git init [project-name]

This command creates a new Git repository by:

Creating a .git directory with all necessary repository files
Initializing a default branch (usually main)
Setting up the basic repository structure

Interactive Repository Creation

Try creating a repository yourself with this interactive demo:

Common Initialization Scenarios

New Project

New Project Setup

# Create a new directory and initialize it
mkdir my-project
cd my-project
git init

Existing Project

Existing Project Setup

# Navigate to existing project
cd existing-project
git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"

Best Practices

Initialize Early
Start version control at the beginning of your project, not after significant development.
Use .gitignore
Set up your .gitignore file before your first commit to exclude unnecessary files.
Verify Installation
Always check the repository was created correctly with git status.

Common Issues and Solutions

Nested Git Repositories

Avoid initializing a Git repository inside another Git repository unless you have a specific need for submodules.

Wrong Directory Level

Make sure you're in the root directory of your project before running git init.

Reinitializing Existing Repository

Running git init on an existing repository is safe but unnecessary.

What's Next?

Now that you know how to create a repository, in the next lesson you'll learn:

How to add files to your repository
Making your first commit
Checking repository status