Production  ·  July 27, 2025

PythonAnywhere: Copy my projects to GitHub (2)

1. Introduction

In the previous blog article "PythonAnywhere: Copy my projects to GitHub 2025.07.20", I researched what I should do.  In this blog, I am going to put my projects onto GitHub actually.

 

2. Procedures

(1) Step 1: Create a Remote Repository on GitHub

  1. Go to GitHub and log in.
  2. Click on the “+” in the upper-right corner and select "New repository".
  3. Enter a repository name (e.g., my-documents-repo).
  4. Set the repository to Public.
  5. DO NOT initialize with a README or .gitignore (this avoids merge conflicts).
  6. Click Create repository.
  7. GitHub will show you commands for connecting your local repository—keep this tab open.

(2) Step 2: Initialize Your Local Repository

Go to your project site on PythonAnywhere

cd ~/django_projects/mysite

 

Initialize Git in the folder:

git init

This creates a hidden .git folder, marking it as a Git repository.

Change the branch name from `master` to `main`:

git branch -m main

Create README.md and put the comment in it:

echo "# django_projects-mysite" >> README.md 

 

(3) Step 3: Connect Your Local Repository to GitHub

Add the GitHub repository as a remote

git remote add origin https://github.com/<your-username>/<repo-name>.git

Verify the remote repository was added:

git remote -v

You should see:

origin https://github.com/<your-username>/<repo-name>.git (fetch)

origin https://github.com/<your-username>/<repo-name>.git (push)

 

(4) Step 4: Stage, Commit, and Push Files

Let's upload only README.md:

git add README.md

git commit -m "first commit"

git push -u origin main

 

Enter your username.  

Enter your token instead of your password.  For your token, go to:

https://github.com/settings/tokens

and see Section 3 below.

 

(5) Step 4 again: Stage, Commit, and Push Files

This time upload everything:

git add .

git commit -m "initial all commit"

git push -u origin main

Again, enter your username, and then your token for your password.

 

3. Use of a token

I tried to do this:

git push -u origin main

But I got the following messages:

remote: Invalid username or token. Password authentication is not supported for Git operations.

fatal: Authentication failed for 'https://github.com/<your-username>/<repo-name>.git/'

 

Great — you're close! That error is very common, and it's happening because GitHub no longer supports password authentication for Git operations over HTTPS.

❌ The error:

vbnet
remote: Invalid username or token. Password authentication is not supported for Git operations. fatal: Authentication failed for 'https://github.com/yourrepo.git/'

This means you're trying to push using a password, but GitHub now requires one of these:

✅ Solution Options

🔐 Option 1: Use a Personal Access Token (PAT) (Recommended for HTTPS)

  1. Go to GitHub:
    https://github.com/settings/tokens

  2. Click "Generate new token (classic)"

  3. Set:

    • Note: "Git Token"

    • Expiration: Choose something reasonable (e.g., 30 or 90 days)

    • Scopes: Check at least repo

  4. Click Generate token and copy it immediately (you won't see it again).

  5. Now, when you run:

    bash
    git push -u origin main

    And it asks for a username, enter:

    your-github-username

    For password, paste the token you just copied.

[MY NOTE]

To navigate to the tokens page, go to

Settings > Developer Settings > Personal access tokens > Tokens (classic)

 

💾 Optional: Cache your credentials

Run this to save the token for future pushes:

bash
git config --global credential.helper cache

Or, for permanent storage:

bash
git config --global credential.helper store

⚠️ With store, your token is saved in plaintext in ~/.git-credentials. Only use on trusted machines.

🔐 Option 2: Use SSH instead (Advanced but secure)

  • Set up an SSH key pair and add your public key to GitHub

  • Then change your remote URL to use SSH instead of HTTPS

Let me know if you'd prefer the SSH method — I can walk you through that too.

✅ TL;DR for You

Since you're using the HTTPS link:

  • Use a personal access token as your password

  • GitHub passwords no longer work for Git push/pull

 

Let me know if you want help generating the token or caching it securely!

 

4. LICENSE

(1)

I uploaded files onto my GitHub repo.  I want to set a MIT license.  How can I do it?

 

Great — adding a license is straightforward, and MIT License is one of the most permissive and commonly used licenses for open source.

✅ Option 1: Add the MIT License via GitHub Website

  1. Go to your repository page on GitHub.

  2. Click the "Add file" button (📄) → "Create new file"

  3. In the filename, enter exactly:

    nginx
    LICENSE

  4. On the right side of the editor, click "Choose a license template"

  5. Select MIT License

  6. GitHub will fill in the license text automatically.

  7. Scroll down and click "Commit new file"

That’s it! You’ve licensed your project under MIT.

✅ Option 2: Add LICENSE file manually from your computer

  1. Create a file named LICENSE in your project directory

  2. Paste the MIT License content into it (see below)

  3. Customize the year and your name

  4. Stage, commit, and push:

bash
git add LICENSE
git commit -m "Add MIT license"
git push

📝 MIT License Template

text
MIT License Copyright (c) 2024 [Your Name] Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: [... full text continues ...]

 

👉 Full version: https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT

Let me know if you want me to generate the full text with your name and the current year — happy to do that!

 

(2) 

Where is the add file button?

 

Great — here's how to find the "Add file" button on GitHub so you can add a LICENSE file:

✅ Steps to Find the "Add file" Button on GitHub

  1. Go to your repository on GitHub
    Example: https://github.com/yourusername/your-repo-name

  2. On the main repo page (where you see the list of files like README.md, etc.), look for a green button near the top-right of the file list.

  3. You’ll see:

    text
    [ Code ▼ ] [ Add file ▼ ] [ ↻ ]

  4. Click the ▾ next to "Add file"
    You’ll see two options:

    • Create new file

    • Upload files

  5. Choose Create new file

  6. In the "Name your file..." field, type exactly:

    nginx
    LICENSE

  7. On the top right, you’ll see a link:
    "Choose a license template" — click it.

  8. Select MIT License, edit your name/year, and click "Review and submit".

  9. Scroll down and click the green "Commit new file" button.

 

Let me know your repo name if you want me to guide you directly to it — or if you’d prefer to add the license via terminal.

 

[MY NOTE]

Add file button is the "+" symbol button left to the green "Code" button.

 

5. git pull origin main

I created a license on GitHub remote repo.  Should I do something with my local repo?

 

Great job adding the license on GitHub!

Yes — if you created the LICENSE file on GitHub, your local repo is now behind the remote. You’ll want to pull the changes into your local project so both stay in sync.

✅ Step to update your local repo

In your local terminal (inside your project folder), run:

bash
git pull origin main

Replace main with your branch name if you're using something else (like master).

🧪 What happens?

  • Git downloads the new LICENSE file from the GitHub remote repo

  • It adds it to your local working directory

  • Now your local and remote repos match

✅ Then you’re done!

You don’t need to edit or re-add the license manually on your local repo — just pulling is enough.

 

Let me know if you get a merge conflict or need help resolving it.

 

[MY NOTE]

If you modify anything on the origin main (remote), then you will run:

git pull origin main

at your local repository.

If you modify anything on the local repository,  then you will run:

git add .

git commit -m "commit message"

git push -u origin main