Github: Who needs it?

Do you ever think that you just don't want all your code on Github? I mean it's only a quick hack right?

Truth is, once you start using git you probably use it automatically for all your code, but you don't always want all your code floating around the net. What about those hard-coded email addresses and API tokens, or those references to your private net servers?

The answer is probably so simple that you have just overlooked it. You don't need to set up a local git server or hire one from Amazon. All you need to do is use DropBox or Ubuntu One as your remote origin repository.

Here's how, using Ubuntu One on Ubuntu:

Write a short shell script something like this and save it on your path as repo.sh.

	#!/usr/bin/env bash
	#set -x # debugging
	if [ -z "$1" ]
	then
	echo "please supply a repo name!"
	exit
	fi
	# set the new repository name
	proj=$1
	proj_dir=~/Projects
	repo_dir=~/git_on_ubuntu_one
	repo=${proj}.git
	# ln -s Ubuntu\ One/git/ git_on_ubuntu_one
	# create origin
	cd ${repo_dir}
	mkdir ${repo}
	cd ${repo}
	git init --bare
	# create local repo
	cd ${proj_dir}
	mkdir ${proj}
	cd ${proj}/
	git init
	touch README
	# do your first push back to master
	git add .
	git commit -am "repository ${proj} pushed to origin"
	git remote add origin ${repo_dir}/${repo}
	git push origin master

view raw repo.sh hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Now when you want to create a new repository all you have to do is:

	# create the Projects directory and the link only the first time you use the script!
	cd ~
	mkdir Projects
	ln -s Ubuntu\ One/git/ git_on_ubuntu_one
	# create a new repo
	repo.sh my_new_project

view raw link.sh hosted with ❤ by GitHub

If you use Python and virtualenv you may be interested in the slightly extended script at http://pythonic-apis.blogspot.com/2012/01/using-ubuntu-one-as-git-repository.html.