In Git, origin is the default name given to the remote repository from which a project was cloned. It acts as a pointer to where your local repository is connected online—usually GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, or another hosting service.
Knowing how to check your Git origin is essential when you want to confirm the source of a project or push/pull changes to the correct remote.
🔍 What Is a Git Remote?
A remote in Git is a version of your project that’s hosted on the internet or a network. The origin is simply a name that refers to the default remote.
✅ How to Check the Origin URL in Git
To check the origin URL, open your terminal and run:
git remote -v
Output Example:
origin https://github.com/username/my-project.git (fetch)
origin https://github.com/username/my-project.git (push)
This shows the remote repository linked to your local repo, used for both fetching and pushing.
📘 What the Output Means
originis the remote name.fetchis the URL Git uses when pulling changes.pushis the URL Git uses when pushing changes.
Typically, these URLs are the same, but they can be different if needed.
🛠️ How to View More Remote Details
To see more about the remote setup:
git remote show origin
Output Example:
* remote origin
Fetch URL: https://github.com/username/my-project.git
Push URL: https://github.com/username/my-project.git
HEAD branch: main
Remote branches:
main tracked
Local branches configured for 'git pull':
main merges with remote main
This command gives more context about branches and tracking relationships.
✏️ Bonus: How to Change or Set the Origin
Change origin URL:
git remote set-url origin https://github.com/your-new-repo.git
Add origin if it doesn’t exist:
git remote add origin https://github.com/your-repo.git
🧠 Summary of Common Commands
| Task | Command |
|---|---|
| Show remote URLs | git remote -v |
| Show detailed remote info | git remote show origin |
| Change origin URL | git remote set-url origin <new-url> |
| Add a new origin | git remote add origin <remote-url> |
📌 Final Thoughts
Checking your Git origin is a simple but important task—especially when working with multiple remotes, collaborating in teams, or pushing to new repositories. Whether you’re troubleshooting or just verifying, these commands help you stay in control of your Git workflow.
