How to sync changes between multiple GitHub users?

 

Step 1: Install Git

 

Download and install Git on your machine to start working with repositories.

• Windows: Visit https://git-scm.com/download/win and follow the installer prompts.
• macOS: Use Homebrew brew install git or download from https://git-scm.com/download/mac.
• Linux: Use your distribution’s package manager, e.g. sudo apt-get install git on Debian/Ubuntu.

 

Step 2: Create or Join a GitHub Repository

 

Decide whether to work in a shared repository directly or via forks.

• Shared repo: One user creates a new repository and adds collaborators under “Settings → Manage access”.
• Fork-and-PR: Each user forks the original repo, clones their fork, then opens pull requests back to upstream.

 

Step 3: Clone the Repository Locally

 

Clone the shared repo or your fork to your local machine.

git clone https://github.com/YourUsername/RepoName.git
cd RepoName

 

Step 4: Configure Git User Identity

 

Ensure commits are attributed correctly for each user.

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"

 

Step 5: Set Up Remotes for Upstream Synchronization

 

If you forked the repo, add the original as upstream to pull new changes.

git remote -v
git remote add upstream https://github.com/OriginalOwner/RepoName.git
git fetch upstream

 

Step 6: Create a New Branch for Your Work

 

Always work on feature branches to keep main clean.

git checkout -b feature/my-new-feature

 

Step 7: Make Changes and Stage Them

 

Edit files, then stage your changes.

git add file1.txt file2.js
# or to stage all modified files:
git add .

 

Step 8: Commit Your Changes with a Clear Message

 

Write descriptive commit messages to help collaborators.

git commit -m "Add feature X: implement data validation on form"

 

Step 9: Sync Your Branch with Remote Main

 

Before pushing, incorporate the latest main changes to avoid conflicts.

git checkout main
git pull origin main
git checkout feature/my-new-feature
git merge main

 

Step 10: Resolve Merge Conflicts (If Any)

 

Git will mark conflicts in files. Open each, search for <<<>>>, choose the correct code, then:

git add conflicted-file.ext
git commit   # completes the merge

 

Step 11: Push Your Feature Branch to GitHub

 

Send your branch to your remote fork or shared repo.

git push origin feature/my-new-feature

 

Step 12: Open a Pull Request or Merge Directly

 

On GitHub:

• If using fork-and-PR workflow, go to your fork, click “Compare & pull request”, select upstream main as target, and submit.
• If collaborator on a shared repo, you can merge via GitHub UI or use:

git checkout main
git merge feature/my-new-feature
git push origin main

 

Step 13: Keep Your Fork or Local Repo in Sync Regularly

 

Periodically fetch updates from upstream and rebase or merge to stay current.

git fetch upstream
git checkout main
git merge upstream/main
git push origin main

 

Step 14: Verify Collaboration and Review

 

Ensure all users pull the latest main and update their branches:

git pull origin main
git checkout feature/another-task
git merge main

 

Following these steps ensures multiple GitHub users can smoothly synchronize changes, avoid conflicts, and maintain a clean project history.