How to determine the URL that a local Git repository was originally cloned from?

Most Git users retrieve project repositories from servers like GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket. But sometimes you may have to review the URL where your local repository came from because you need to check issues or coordinate with other developers. Git provides an easy method to get back this data.

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Using Git Commands to Show Remote URLs

To determine the remote URL of your local Git repository, you can use the following command in your terminal:

git remote -v

What Does This Command Do?

  • You control the remote connections for your repository through the git remote command.
  • Using the -v (verbose) will show you which URLs Git uses for each remote.

Example Outputs

When you run git remote -v, you will get output like:

origin  https://github.com/intellipaat/repository.git (fetch)
origin  https://github.com/intellipaat/repository.git (push)

In this example, “origin” is the name of the remote that is pointing to this specific URL, which is the source of the clone. The output states that both the fetch and push operations will use the same URL.

What is Remote in Git?

In Git, a remote is a version of your repository hosted via some internet or another network service. The default remote name is origin; although theoretically, you could have a multiple number of remotes, each with its own URL.

Viewing Specific Remote URLs

If you want to see a specific remote URL then you can use:

git remote get-url origin

This command will show just the URL of the origin remote without any unnecessary clutter.

Conclusion

Finding the remote URL of your local Git repository is a simple task, yet it is fundamental to good version control. Knowing where your code came from can keep everything running smoothly, whether you are troubleshooting some issues, syncing changes, or collaborating with others. If you want to learn more about such techniques then you should head to our Cloud & DevOps Course.

About the Author

Senior Cloud Computing Associate

Rupinder is a distinguished Cloud Computing & DevOps associate with architect-level AWS, Azure, and GCP certifications. He has extensive experience in Cloud Architecture, Deployment and optimization, Cloud Security, and more. He advocates for knowledge sharing and in his free time trains and mentors working professionals who are interested in the Cloud & DevOps domain.

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