instructions

Adding an Upstream Git Server to a Private Repository for Student Projects

Prerequisites

A private Git repository already set up on a primary server.
Access to the upstream Git server.
SSH keys configured for authentication (if using SSH).

Step 1: Add the Upstream Repository

To add an upstream Git server as a remote repository, use the following command:

cd /path/to/your/repo

git remote add upstream git@upstream-server.com:your-repo.git

Replace git@upstream-server.com:your-repo.git with the actual URL of the upstream Git server.

Step 2: Verify the Remote Repositories

Check that the upstream remote was added successfully:

git remote -v

This should output something like:

origin    git@primary-server.com:your-repo.git (fetch)
origin    git@primary-server.com:your-repo.git (push)
upstream  git@upstream-server.com:your-repo.git (fetch)
upstream  git@upstream-server.com:your-repo.git (push)

Step 3: Fetch Changes from the Upstream Server

To ensure your local repository is up to date with upstream changes:

git fetch upstream

To merge upstream changes into your current branch:

git merge upstream/main

Step 4: Push Changes to Upstream (If Allowed)

If you have push access to the upstream repository, you can push changes:

git push upstream main

However, in most cases, student repositories are forks of an upstream project, and push access may not be available. Instead, students may need to create pull requests to contribute changes.

Step 5: Remove or Update the Upstream Remote (If Needed)

To remove the upstream remote:

git remote remove upstream

To update the upstream remote URL:

git remote set-url upstream git@new-upstream-server.com:your-repo.git

Conclusion

You have successfully added an upstream Git server to your private repository, enabling synchronization with upstream changes and collaboration on student projects.