Sync Branch and staying up to date with a project using GitHub for Windows

Question

What do I need to do in the GitHub for Windows app to stay up to date with changes made to a project or repository hosted on GitHub?

I will most likely not be editing, but do want to stay aware of and incorporate the changes that are made to the project.

When I clone in desktop, using the GitHub for Windows GUI, one of the options I have is "Sync Branch", which is defined as "sharing your local commits on the server and pulling down changes from others". With whom am I sharing my local commits? Is it the origin source? And, whose changes am I "pulling down"?

It seems like the "sync branch" option in the GUI would do both (whether I want to or not).

Answer 1

You can fork the repo (even if you don't intend to contribute back), if only to keep a clear link with the original upstream repo.

From there, you can:

• clone your fork locally

• add a remote referring to the upstream original repo

  git remote add upstream https://github.com/User/repo
  

• set the upstream branch to the remote 'upstream'.
  That way, a simple git pull will always pull from the original repo (the upstream one)

  git checkout master
  git branch -u upstream/master
  

• set push.default to matching.
  That way, a git push origin will push all your local branches (updated from upstream) to your fork.

  git config push.default matching
  

The idea behind those settings is: pulling from upstream, but pushing to origin, meaning keep track of the new changes: you record in your fork the last SHA1 you pulled from upstream.

That way, you can from any workstation:

• pull from origin (to update your local clone to the last SHA1 you memorized in your fork),
• and pull from upstream in order to check/see any new commits from said original repo.