What's the correct workflow? git init locally & git-repo

[NyxRoot7]

Hi everyone
I’m just starting to learn Git and GitHub, and I’m a bit confused about the “right order” to do things when starting a new project.
I’ve already searched through similar discussions and read a few tutorials, but I still don’t fully get it.
So I have a folder with some code on my computer, but I haven’t created any repository on GitHub yet.
Should I:

1. Run git init locally and then somehow connect it to a new GitHub repo later?
2. Or should I first create the repo on GitHub and then clone it locally to start working?

Both seem to work in various tutorials, but I'm not sure which approach is cleaner or actually used in real projects.
Also, if I start locally first, are there any disadvantages to adding the remote later?
Thank you very much! I'm just trying to figure out how to work well before developing bad habits.

[miglioDev]

Great question, this confused me too!
Both methods work, but it's usually easier to create the repository on GitHub first and then clone it locally.
This way, everything is already connected and you don't need to use git remote add or rename branches later.

If you've already started locally, no problem: just add the remote later with:
git remote add origin
git branch -M main
git push -u origin main

[NyxRoot7]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate you pointing me in the right direction ❤️

[saraeloop]

Both approaches work, but here’s the general rule used in most real projects. If you’re starting from scratch:

Create the repo on GitHub first, then git clone it locally.
That way your remote (origin) is already set up, your main branch matches GitHub’s defaults, and you avoid confusion with naming (main vs master, branch protection rules, etc.).

If you already have local code:

You can still start with git init and add the remote later:

git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
git branch -M main
git remote add origin https://github.com/yourname/yourrepo.git
git push -u origin main

This is totally valid, you’re just connecting your local history to GitHub afterward.

In practice:
• Teams / new projects: usually create the repo first.
• Solo / existing code: often start local, then push later.

No wrong choic, just pick the one that fits your flow 😊