How to Add a gh-pages Branch to Your Local Git Repository and Automate Your Workflow

Описание: Learn how to effortlessly manage your GitHub Pages deployment by adding a new local `gh-pages` branch to track the remote branch created after deploying.
---
This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/64623620/ asked by the user 'Bruno Gurgel' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/14402723/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/64623654/ provided by the user 'Mureinik' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/2422776/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: How to add a new local branch to track the remote branch created by GitHub pages (gh-pages)?

Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/l...
The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license.

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
How to Add a gh-pages Branch to Your Local Git Repository and Automate Your Workflow

When deploying a repository to GitHub Pages, a new branch called gh-pages is often created to host the static site. While this is great for hosting, it can create a hassle for developers who want to push changes seamlessly. If you're only pushing to the master branch and need to repeatedly move content to the gh-pages branch manually, you'll want to set up a local branch that tracks the remote gh-pages branch. This guide will guide you through the simple steps to achieve this, so you can streamline your workflow.

Understanding the Need

After deploying your repo to GitHub Pages:

A gh-pages branch is created remotely.

Your local machine doesn't automatically track this branch, meaning you have to manually handle updates.

By setting up a local gh-pages branch, you can easily push changes without the extra steps.

Steps to Create and Track the gh-pages Branch

1. Create the Local Branch

To create a new branch that matches the remote gh-pages branch, use the following command:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This command creates a new branch in your local repository named gh-pages.

2. Switch to the New Branch

Next, you need to check out the new branch to start using it. You can do this in two ways:

Option A: Checkout After Creation

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Option B: Create and Checkout in One Command
You can also perform both actions in a single command by using the -b flag:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This command creates the gh-pages branch and switches to it immediately.

3. Make Changes and Commit

Now that you are on the gh-pages branch, you can make the necessary changes to your files. After you've made your updates, don’t forget to commit them:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

4. Push Changes to the Remote gh-pages Branch

Once your changes are committed, you can push them to the remote gh-pages branch easily:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This command sends your local changes to the gh-pages branch on GitHub.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can effectively manage your updates to the gh-pages branch directly from your local machine, eliminating the need for manual uploads. This not only saves time but also reduces the chances of errors during deployment.

Now that you have set up a local gh-pages branch, you can focus more on developing your site while leaving the deployment process seamless.

If you have any questions or need further clarification, feel free to ask in the comments. Happy coding!