Git Hacks: Ep1 — Creating a Separate Repository from a Parent Project

Imagine you're working on a large project with multiple sub-projects contained within a single Git repository. Your team decides that one of these sub-projects deserves its own repository to streamline development and collaboration. This is a common scenario, and while Visual Studio Code (VS Code) does not directly provide a feature to create a separate Git repository from a subdirectory, you can accomplish this with a few steps in the terminal.

Step 1: Navigate to Your Project Directory

First, open your terminal and navigate to the subdirectory of your parent repository that you want to turn into a new repository. If your parent project directory is structured like this:

You would run the following command:

cd path/to/your/parent-repository/subdirectory

This step is crucial as it sets the context for where you will initialize your new repository.

Step 2: Initialize a New Git Repository

Within the subdirectory, initialize a new Git repository by running:

git init

This command creates a new .git folder in your subdirectory, effectively making it a standalone Git repository.

Step 3: Add and Commit Your Files

Next, add the files from the subdirectory to the new repository:

git add .

Then, commit these files:

git commit -m "Initial commit for the new repository"

At this point, you have successfully created a new repository containing the contents of the subdirectory.

Step 4: Create a Remote Repository

Go to your Git hosting service (like GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket) and create a new repository. Follow the prompts to set up your repository, and make note of the remote repository URL.

Step 5: Add the Remote Repository

Back in your terminal, link your local repository to the newly created remote repository:

git remote add origin <your-remote-repo-url>

Step 6: Push Your Changes

Finally, push your local changes to the remote repository:

git push -u origin master

Now your subdirectory is a fully functioning Git repository, complete with its own history and remote repository.

Conclusion

While VS Code doesn't offer a direct way to create a separate repository from a parent repository, following these steps in the terminal allows you to accomplish this easily. By keeping your sub-projects organized into their own repositories, you can manage your development process more effectively and collaborate with your team in a streamlined manner.

Once you've created the separate repository, you can return to using the VS Code Git interface to manage your commits, branches, and merges as usual, making the development workflow as seamless as possible.