---
title: '2 · Publish your shop to GitHub'
description: 'Put your scaffolded shop into a private GitHub repository — its safe home with full history.'
canonical: 'https://cartwright.app/docs/getting-started/from-code-to-live/2-publish-repo'
---

# 2 · Publish your shop to GitHub (/docs/getting-started/from-code-to-live/2-publish-repo)



`create-cartwright` already saved your shop as a first version on your computer (a "commit").
Now you'll send that to GitHub so it lives online, privately, with every future change tracked.

<Callout type="info" title="Repository = your shop's folder on GitHub">
  A **repository** (or "repo") is just your project folder, stored on GitHub. Keep it **private**
  so only you can see the code — your live shop is still public, but the source stays yours.
</Callout>

<Tabs items="['Uden terminal', 'Med terminal']">
  <Tab value="Uden terminal">
    <Steps>
      1. **Open your shop in GitHub Desktop.**

         In GitHub Desktop: **File → Add Local Repository**, then choose the folder `create-cartwright`
         made (e.g. `my-shop`). GitHub Desktop recognizes it's already a git project.

      2. **Publish it.**

         Click the blue **Publish repository** button at the top.

         * **Name** — your shop's name (e.g. `my-shop`).
         * **Keep "Keep this code private" checked.** ✅
         * Click **Publish repository**.

      3. **Done.**

         Your code is now on GitHub. Click **View on GitHub** to see it in your browser — that web page
         is your repo. Keep this tab handy; you'll point Vercel at it in the next step.
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab value="Med terminal">
    <Steps>
      1. **Create the repo and push, in one command** (needs the GitHub CLI from Step 1).

         From inside your shop folder:

      ```bash
      cd my-shop
      gh repo create my-shop --private --source=. --remote=origin --push
      ```

      This creates a private repo named `my-shop` on GitHub and uploads your code to it.

      2. **No GitHub CLI? Do it in two parts.**

         Create an empty private repo at [github.com/new](https://github.com/new) (don't add a README),
         then connect and push:

      ```bash
      git remote add origin https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/my-shop.git
      git branch -M main
      git push -u origin main
      ```

      Replace `YOUR-USERNAME` with your GitHub username.
    </Steps>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Callout type="warn" title="Your secret keys are NOT uploaded — that's correct">
  Cartwright is set up to **never** push your `.env.local` (where API keys and database passwords
  live) to GitHub. You'll add those directly to Vercel in the next step. If you ever see a warning
  about committing a `.env` file, stop — keys should never go to GitHub.
</Callout>

Next: [Step 3 — Connect Vercel](/docs/getting-started/from-code-to-live/3-connect-vercel).