<!--
title: User git Repositories
description: Getting set up with git.tilde.institute
author: gbmor
-->
# User git Repositories
There's now an instance of [cgit](https://git.zx2c4.com/cgit) available
for all users to enjoy. Unlike the previous git repo hosting platform
I used, this does not require an additional signup. It's available
directly from your home directory. Tagged versions are automatically
bundled into `.tar.gz` archives and listed on the summary page.
All repos can be viewed at
[https://git.tilde.institute](https://git.tilde.institute)
**Note:** If a change doesn't appear in cgit immediately, wait a few
minutes. The cache will time out.
## Creating the directory
New users will not have to do this step. A `~/public_repos` link will
exist in your home directory. If you were a user before this was set up
(2020 May 1), you will need to create a symlink in your home directory
pointing into location in the httpd chroot where cgit will scan for
your repos.
There should be a directory corresponding to your username at the
following location:
```
/var/www/cgit_repos/<USER>
```
Issue this command to create the symlink:
```
ln -s /var/www/cgit_repos/$USER ~/public_repos
```
## Adding a repository
Once `~/public_repos` exists, `cd` into it and create a directory
for your repo:
```
mkdir foo.git
```
Change into *that* directory and initialize a bare repo:
```
cd foo.git; git init --bare
```
Now that the bare repo has been created, we'll need to set some configuration
options. You may use this command from within the directory you just created:
```
git config --local gitweb.owner "$USER <$USER@tilde.institute>"
```
Or, you may manually edit the file called `config` and append the following
section:
```
[gitweb]
owner = user_name <user_name@tilde.institute>
```
Then, write out the text description of your repo into a file called
`description`:
```
echo "My awesome repo!" > description
```
## Setting up the remote
If pushing from your home computer, add the following remote, replacing
`<USER>` with your username at tilde.institute, and `<REPO>` with
the repo directory:
```
git remote add tilde.institute <USER>@tilde.institute:public_repos/<REPO>
```
If pushing from your home directory on tilde.institute, use this
format:
```
git remote add tilde.institute /home/<USER>/public_repos/<REPO>
```
Now it's time to push to the repo you set up:
```
git push -u tilde.institute master
```
## Checking the repo on [git.tilde.institute](git.tilde.institute)
Your repo should now be available at
`https://git.tilde.institute/<USER>/<REPO>`, without the `.git`
extension on the repo's directory.
If something's wrong, double-check everything, and then jump into
`#institute` on IRC.
## What about pull requests?
These don't exist. I suggest directing people to use [git
send-email](https://git-send-email.io) for patches.
## Namespacing projects
cgit will use the directory structure to namespace projects, if you
want to group related repositories.
For example, say you have a project called `widget`, which comprises
the two repos `libwidget` and `widget-cli`. One way to present
this here would be to use the following directory structure in
`~/public_repos`
```
~/public_repos/widget
~/public_repos/widget/libwidget.git
~/public_repos/widget/widget-cli.git
```
This will then show up in cgit as:
```
$USER
widget/libwidget
widget/widget-cli
```
When setting up the remote in your local copy of the repo, you would
use this for the `libwidget` example:
```
git remote add tilde.institute <USER>@tilde.institute:public_repos/widget/libwidget.git
```
## Misc
You can link to just your own repos via `https://git.tilde.institute/<USER>`
The following files will be parsed into an `about` page for a given
repo, in order:
* `README`
* `README.7`
* `README.1`
* `README.txt`
* `README.md`
[back](/)