WordPress GitHub Integration

Apr 15, 2023

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Let's begin by explaining the basics.

What exactly is Version Control and why is essential?

If you're not scared of or are familiar with programming, then the notions of revision control Git or GitHub may seem quite bizarre to people like. Let's first define the terms using straightforward English.

Version Control

The reason for implementing the latest version of a project is to track and control any changes that are made in the project. You can review the project and draw comparisons, or return all project components to an older version.

Git

Git is one of the most extensively utilized version control software available. It's a robust program which comes with necessary features to collaborate, manage the progress of your project, and correct mistakes if needed.

GitHub

The GitHub homepage, showing an illustration of a child in an astronaut costume in front of a large globe with glowing lines connecting country to country. The featured text reads "Where the world builds software".
GitHub

The benefits of integrating GitHub WordPress WordPress

Imagine being able to take advantage of the power of versions that allow you to revert back an older version before a change that screwed your website and also making use of Git branching to check and work your crazy concept that you thought of in the middle of a long day of programming.

Being able to run the WordPress project as a team is another incentive to make use of WordPress together with GitHub together as a group. Your team could work on different areas of the same site without fearing to shut down the website you're working on to make it production.

Once you're done, check all of the latest adjustments in the primary or any other button that is a magic one that you can access from your dashboard (keep checking the complete report).

A summary of all the benefits of GitHub as well as the WordPress combination:

  • Lets you use your normal workflow for working in WordPress development
  • Your website can be stopped from going down because of an error in certain PHP files by going back to older versions of PHP
  • You can collaborate in real time by using the features of your site.

The beginning is Git, GitHub, and WordPress

In this this section in this section, you'll discover how to design themes and plugins with GitHub as well as WordPress.

Before we begin, let's look at the fundamental idea of this procedure. In the beginning, you'll need to create a local Git project which is in which you'll develop the first version of your theme or plugin (we call them that as the most commonly modified files inside WordPress). WordPress project. You'll then set up an GitHub repository. You'll then transfer the repository into the live version of your WordPress live installation.

Let's go!

Step 1. Install Git onto Your Computer

It may appear straightforward, but remember that it's crucial to operating Git on your computer before using the plugin or theme.

To install, visit Git's Official downloads webpage and then select the appropriate version for your OS.

The official Git downloads page showing the macOS, Windows, and Linux download methods for the Git installer and the current version "2.34.1".
Git downloads

If you're using macOS or Linux You may have to run terminal. If you're using Windows then it is necessary to start up wizard, which could be a couple of minutes.

To confirm that Git is running, execute this command at the terminal or command prompt:

git --version # git version "your version"

Step 2: Join GitHub and then set up the repository

Create or log in to an GitHub account by filling out the sign-up forms at GitHub.

GitHub Sign Up page with the fields of email, password, and username.
GitHub Sign Up page.

Once you have signed into your account, you are able to create a repository that will host the theme or plugin you have created using the link to the brand new repository.

GitHub new repo page with the fields Owner, Repository name, Description, Accessibility, README, and license files.
GitHub new repository

In the name of the repository, it is important to include the name the plug-in is that you're building. For my case, MyWordPressTheme Give a short introduction and overview on the development. Decide if you want the repository to be open or private (public that anyone is able access it, and create a fork of it. Also, ensure that you're the sole person who has the authority to access the repository), decide if you need to provide an Readme or a license before the beginning. Then hit the Create Repository button..

Step 3: Setup the Local WordPress Environment

Let's find out how to accomplish this using Dev.

Dev create New WordPress site with NGINX, MySql, and WordPress 5.8 option.
Dev.

After that, enter the username of your website, WordPress admin username, and password. After that, select on"Create Website" and then click on the "Create Site" button.

My new WordPress site form with the fields of "Site name", "WordPress admin username", and "WordPress admin password" as well as the create site button.
New site.

This will automatically create a WordPress site in the folder /home/username/Dev/public/site-name, you can open it by clicking on the "site path" section.

Site info showing the path to the site WordPress files.
Information about the website.

Have a look at WordPress structure of files by with an application to manage file structures.

File manager showing the file structure of the site you just created, including some important files like the "wp-config.php" and the "index.php" files, as well as the subfolders "wp-content", "wp-includes", and "wp-admin".
WordPress File structure.

Now you have a fully functional WordPress site that is listed within the directory of your residence.

Step 4: Clone the GitHub Repo onto your local Machine

There's the remote GitHub repository that contains the license and README files. Now is the time to connect these files to your local system and start creating the theme.

In this instance, the theme is being built However it's the same process creating a plugin.

Visit your WordPress website's folder. Browse through your WordPress-contentdirectory which is the directory that houses every theme and plugin available.

When you've created your website with Dev After having constructed your site, you need to input the path for your site that is available in the Site Information prior to going to the Content in the WordPressfolder.

If you created your site using XAMPP, you would enter the /opt/lampp/htdocs/site/wp-content folder on Linux, and macOS, whereas on Windows you just need to go to the folder in which you extracted the WordPress source code.

When we create themes, we head to the theme folder and then save the repository that we made to GitHub. It is important to set your SSH keys in GitHub in the event that you've misplaced it.

The whole procedure can be described following using just a couple of commands:

cd /home/username/Dev/public/site-name/wp-content/themes # or your wordpress site location git clone [email protected]:YourUsername/mywordpresstheme.git cd mywordpresstheme/

You can now begin developing themes and plugins for your WordPress themes and plugins.

5. Add, Commit and push modifications on the Remote Repo

Then you are able to create your personal theme.

The benefit of developing the application or theme on the personal PC is the fact that you're able to mess about with the application with it, make any adjustments and then test every method you want to. So, get started and create the best themes and plugins that you are able to.

If you're well-versed in how to create the WordPress theme with scratch, here are some of the files you need to be aware of.

  • index.php: The primary structure file which makes up this subject (required)
  • front-page.php: Creates the main view of the site; it also creates"/" (root) page"/" (root) page
  • footer.php: Defines the footer portion of the website, and it's used in most of websites' pages.
  • functions.php: Allows to build specific function
  • header.php: Defines the header
  • page.php: Pages made by the administrators of the website
  • screenshot.png: Image that can be used to design an image for the theme
  • single.php: Default method used by blogs.

For further instructions For more information, you can refer to the WordPress Developer's Guide for developing themes..

Once you've designed your theme you're now ready to upload it and upload all modifications to GitHub.

First, first run the Git initial report to find out the exact changes.

The state of Git... Files that are not tracked files (use "git add" to include them)(use "git add" ..." to" to be included in what will be committed) The 404.php front-page.php footer.php image is single.404.php assets/footer.php front-page.php assets/footer.phpfront-page.php functions.php function.phpheader.php index.php page.php screenshot.png single.php style.cssindex.php page.php screenshot.png single.php style.csspage.php screenshot.png single.php style.cssstyle.css

Include all the documents within the directory, and then create a folder to save them.

Include in git . Git commit by using the"m "Added the themes file"

Then, you can push the changes to the remote repo prior to transfer them to GitHub. GitHub.

git push

Step 6. Step 6: Connect SSH into Your WordPress Website, and then copy the Repo

The theme is created and now it's time to add it onto your current WordPress site.

Most hosting providers offer a way to connect to SSH and for further information check out the documentation of your hosting provider.

To begin, you need to obtain the SSH command and your password.

My dashboard of the site "Test with WordPress" showing the password and SSH terminal command fields.
My site dashboard.

Copy the SSH commands in the Command Prompt. Then, enter your password (using the authentication method in order to duplicate your SSH password).

If you've been authenticated and signed in, you're now inside the WordPress site's file structure.

Terminal connected via SSH to a  site.
SSH.

Now, you'll have to navigate to your site's folder, which is usually located on /www/name-site/public/. Then, you can open the theme folder and copy the repo to it.

cd /www/name-site/public/wp-content/themes git clone https://github.com/yourusername/MyWordPressTheme.git

We're using HTTP to transfer the GitHub repo because we're not making any changes to the theme present within the web server. The only way to modify the theme is to use the editor that we like locally on the computer is being worked on instead of a sloppy terminal editor running on the server.

If at any point you wish to download any new changes that have been made to the remote repository onto your server, you can accomplish this by executing:

Pull git... Fast-forward front-page.php front-page.php 1 modified file One deleted (+), 1 deleted(+)

Step 7: Go to the WordPress Administrator to activate your theme.

https://yourdomain.com/wp-login.php

After that, visit your appearancesection and then activate your gorgeous theme.

WordPress admin dashboard with an arrow pointing to the "Activate" theme button.
Pick the design you would like to use.

If you're working with plugins then follow the exact process, except for placing your plugin within the /wp-content/pluginsfolder.

Congrats! You've created an awesome WordPress theme with Git, GitHub, and WordPress!

Utilizing My To Integration to GitHub and WordPress

In order to simplify WordPress developers' life easier The WordPress team is launching GitHub Deployment in WordPress. GitHub Deployment connects direct with your GitHub account, allowing you to develop your website on your own, as well as to publish it in a matter of clicks.

All you need is the My-Account and the capability to manage the control of versioning for WordPress development.

The advantages of using GitHub deployment

They're among the most significant advantages of this method:

  1. Combines the experiences of creating locally and deploying remotely to WordPress
  2. It allows you to utilize all of the functions of version control using Git and GitHub
  3. More simple than the manual method as shown in the preceding paragraph.
  4. Automate the deployment of changes that you create from your GitHub repo

Additionally, you must download WordPress core files as well as transfer them to a repository. The only way to do this is to commit the theme or an application to, upon deployment, all staging files are deleted.

But, it's much simpler than you thought.

We'll look at ways to incorporate GitHub to WordPress using My!

Step 1: Begin by making the GitHub Repo containing all of the WordPress Core Files

This process is identical to that described above but you'll have to transfer all WordPress documents you've created in your WordPress install to the repository on GitHub.

First, create the GitHub account. Then, copy the account onto your computer so you can start creating the website you want to create on your local PC.

git clone [email protected]:youusername/WordPress-site.git # After you created the repo on GitHub
unzip path/to/wordpress/zip cp -a wordpress/. path/to/your/repo/

Take note of the process that we're using to extract the zip file within the current directory , and after that, copying its contents into our repository using the Cp dots (or. ) syntax.

The repo's structure must be in line with these guidelines:

. +-+- .git +-- wp-admin +-- wp content+-- wp-includes-an .gitignore +-index.php index.php +- - LICENSE-- license.txt +- readme.html +--- README.md +- wp-activate.php http://wp-activate.php... *- wp-settings.php +- wp-signup.php +-- wp-trackback.php +- xmlrpc.ph

Change the code. When you're done you can commit your changes to the GitHub repo:

Add Git .Commit Git with"Add WordPress files "Added WordPress files"

This is that you must devote the majority of your time. You'll then be able to see how simple it is to connect GitHub into WordPress.

Step 2: Design or utilize a Website for Your My Dashboard

If you have an existing site, you could do this without a problem but if you're looking to create an entirely new website is best to start from an empty environment. There is a shorter time frame to complete an WordPress installation.

Go to My Dashboard click on the websitesection Then click your button to insert the sitebutton. In just a couple of hours, you'll have an open space which is able to work in.

Add site modal with the
Make a website with an Modal.

Step 3: Change To a Staging Environment

For creating an area for staging, go to the dashboard on your website, and then select the Environment option on the upper left-hand corner of your page. Pick the staging area in the drop-down menu.

's site page staging environment option.
The stage-like environment.

Click on the Make the staging zonebutton. Depending on the number of files that you've got within your live environment, it could take longer or less time for the system starts loading. That's the reason it's advised to create an empty environment in the event that there isn't a live website when you first begin.

Create a staging environment page with the title "My awesome  site", instructions about this feature, and an arrow pointing to the "Create a staging environment" button.
Create the scene.

After you've pushed your repo to the staging environment, you will be able to transfer it to a live environment. The procedure will be seen on the ground later on.

4. Connect to the GitHub

For a connection to a repository on GitHub, My needs access to your GitHub account. Be assured that this applies to any app that requires access to a specific repository.

Follow the deploymentsection when you've completed setting up your staging area. Then, proceed by pressing Start process of setting upbutton.

GitHub Deployment page in My, showing the "Begin setup" button.
Start setting up.

Then, you'll be taken on you'll be taken to the GitHub login page, where you'll have the option of setting up distribution for the repo that you've created with the credentials from the repo you've created on GitHub repo.

Then you'll have the option to choose the company(usually your personal account) you want to pull your repo's repository from and the Repository within the which you've made your WordPress site, and the branch from which you'd like to pull your repository's repository from (in the majority of cases the is "main").

Configure deployment modal with the checked "Auto deploy" option.
Configure deployment.

It's possible to determine whether you'd like to use for the Auto deploy upon commitbox to enable My to be able to make it easier to deploy any changes made to the branch you chose.

Take care with this choice. Make sure to deploy the auto-deployment option whenever you're working on one distinct branch for every feature. Also, you're only signing an arrangement with the primary branch which is responsible for integrating those elements.

Hit the Finishbutton. Now, you can deploy your repo into your Staging environment.

 GitHub deployment page of the "My awesome  Site" showing the "Deploy now" button.
Start your deployment now.

It will take only some seconds to experience your new staging website. It is accessible through Your domainssection by clicking the accessible URLlink.          WiLTtryYYCYDqlDuRsVi       Open URL.

If for some reason, you have to unplug your My website from the repository, click on the change settingsoption and select an unplugbutton.

Deployment modal showing the "Organization", "Repository", and "Branch to pull" fields, the auto-deploy checkbox, and the "Disconnect", "Cancel", and "Change deployment" buttons.
Connect repo.

Step 5 Step 5: Press Live

Click on the environmental action and select"Environmental Actions" and then select the "Push to Live"option.

GitHub Deployment section showing the "Push to live" environmental action.
Live from presse.

If you've made it the point at this point that you've got a functioning website that's been pushed out via the repository on GitHub! GitHub repository!

GitHub Deployment Tips

This function can be utilized to benefit users in many methods, and here are some guidelines on ways to make the most of it

  1. Manage your GitHub project using branches that only merge changes with main branches in the event of merging the branches.
  2. Be sure to enable the auto-deploy feature in the case you have followed the second step.
  3. Make sure you test every device! Make sure that the issue doesn't get to the production website.
  4. Take care when you are working on documents you modify, most times you'll be required to change the content of the Contentor folder.

Summary

Git together with GitHub are powerful tools for all developers available. It is now clear how you can integrate these tools into WordPress.

It is possible to use the SSH method as well as the brand innovative My feature: The GitHub deployment. Both have advantages

  1. Methods of SSH: It is only utilized with plugins and themes. It is also possible to manually modify the repo that is needed to create themes or plugins, and later pull it from the server that your site is hosting on.
  2. GitHub Method of Deployment: This is a brand new feature that is included within My. This is an automated procedure which lets you focus on building your website locally, handles the process of deployment.

Make sure to evaluate them in order to build your ideal WordPress site you can.

What has the integration of WordPress along with GitHub affected your site and your development processes? Let us know in the comments section!

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