I'm new to Git and created a remote repository with an initial README file. I also have files on my computer that I want to upload. When I run `git push -u origin main`, Git says the push was rejected because the remote contains changes that are not in my local repository. I tried committing, renaming the branch to `main`, running `git pull`, and pushing again, but the same error remains.
I've also seen this suggested:
`git pull origin main --allow-unrelated-histories`
`git push -u origin main`
Is that safe? Could pulling change or overwrite my local files, and what should I do if Git reports conflicts? What is the correct beginner-friendly way to combine the remote README with my local files and upload everything?
3 Answers
The simplest approach is to clone the repository first, since it already contains a README. Cloning downloads the repository and creates the local Git setup for you. Then copy your project files into the cloned folder, run `git status`, stage the files with `git add .`, commit them with `git commit -m "Add project files"`, and push with `git push -u origin main`. This avoids the unrelated-history problem entirely.
If you already have a local repository with its own commits, `git pull origin main --allow-unrelated-histories` can combine the two separate histories. It is not an “ignore everything” switch: Git will fetch the remote README and attempt to merge it with your local branch. Your files are not silently overwritten without Git reporting what happened, but conflicts can occur and must be resolved manually. After resolving any conflict, commit the merge and push again.
The option only allows Git to merge histories that started separately. It does not need to be undone afterward, because it affects that pull command rather than permanently changing Git’s behavior.
Before choosing a fix, check `git status` and confirm that `origin` points to the repository you intended with `git remote -v`. If the remote only has the automatically created README, cloning it and moving your files into the cloned directory is usually the least confusing solution. If you initialized and committed the local project separately, merging the histories is also valid, but make a backup first and read any conflict messages carefully.
Also remember that Git tracks files, not empty folders. A folder will only appear in the repository if it contains at least one tracked file.