How can I connect my local Git repository to a DigitalOcean server for easy code deployment?

Question

I’m new to using Git with DigitalOcean and would like to know the best way to connect my local Git repository to my DigitalOcean server. What are some basic steps to set this up for deploying code directly from my local machine?

Bobby Iliev · Answer

Hey!

Usually you would use GitHub or GitLab, and on there setup an automation to push your code to your server whenever a pull request is merged.

But if you are specifically looking to set up code deployment from your local Git repository to a DigitalOcean Droplet directly without using GitHub, you could setup a post-receive hook to deploy code automatically whenever you push your code.

Here is one way of doing this:

1. Set Up SSH Access to Your Droplet

Generate an SSH key pair if you don’t have one:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_email@example.com"

Copy your public key to the Droplet:
```
ssh-copy-id root@your_droplet_ip
```
Test your SSH connection to confirm it’s set up correctly:
```
ssh root@your_droplet_ip
```

2. Create a Dedicated Git User on the Droplet

To keep deployments organized, create a git user:
```
sudo adduser git
```
Add your SSH key to the git user’s .ssh/authorized_keys for secure access.

3. Initialize a Bare Git Repository on the Droplet

Log in as the git user and create a bare repository for your app:

mkdir -p /home/git/yourapp.git
cd /home/git/yourapp.git
git init --bare

4. Set Up a Post-Receive Hook for Deployment

Inside /home/git/yourapp.git/hooks/, create a post-receive hook to deploy code automatically:
```
nano /home/git/yourapp.git/hooks/post-receive
```

Add these lines to specify where the code will be deployed:

#!/bin/bash
GIT_WORK_TREE=/var/www/yourapp git checkout -f

Make this hook executable:

chmod +x /home/git/yourapp.git/hooks/post-receive

5. Add the Droplet as a Remote in Your Local Repository

On your local machine, add the Droplet as a remote using the main branch:
```
git remote add droplet git@your_droplet_ip:/home/git/yourapp.git
```

6. Push Your Code to Deploy

Now, deploy your code by pushing to the new remote:
```
git push droplet main
```

This setup will allow you to deploy your application by pushing to the droplet remote.

If you’re looking for a simpler way to deploy your application, consider DigitalOcean App Platform. It has built-in Git and GitHub integration for automated deployments, saving you from manual setup and handling deployments with every Git push to main. This is a great option if you want a streamlined, managed approach to code deployment!

For more details, check out the DigitalOcean App Platform documentation.

Let me know if you need further help!

- Bobby