Most AI coding tools (Cursor, Lovable, Bolt.new, Claude Code, v0, Replit) save your project as files on your computer or in their own workspace, not automatically on GitHub. If you want a free Launch Readiness scan using a repo URL rather than a zip upload, your code needs to live on GitHub first. Here are two ways to do that — pick whichever feels easier.

Option 1: GitHub Desktop (no command line)

This is the easiest path if you're not comfortable with a terminal.

  1. Download and install GitHub Desktop, then sign in with your GitHub account (create one free at github.com if you don't have one).
  2. In GitHub Desktop, choose File → Add Local Repository and select the folder containing your project.
  3. If it says the folder isn't a Git repository yet, click create a repository — GitHub Desktop will set it up for you.
  4. Write a short summary (e.g. "Initial commit") and click Commit to main.
  5. Click Publish repository at the top. Decide whether to keep it private for now — you can always switch it to public later (see our guide on making a repo public) when you're ready to scan it by URL.

Your project is now on GitHub. Any time you make changes, GitHub Desktop will show them — write a short summary and click Commit, then Push origin to update GitHub.

Option 2: The command line (git)

If you're comfortable in a terminal, this is faster:

  1. Create a new empty repository on github.com/new — don't add a README, .gitignore, or license (keep it empty).
  2. In your project folder, run: 
    git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
git branch -M main
git remote add origin https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/YOUR-REPO.git
git push -u origin main
  3. Enter your GitHub credentials if prompted (GitHub will walk you through setting up a personal access token if you haven't pushed from this machine before).

Before you scan it

Double-check your project doesn't have a committed .env file or hardcoded API keys before pushing — if it does, add a .gitignore with .env in it and remove the file from tracking first. Not sure? Run a free scan with our zip upload option before you push, and it'll flag exactly that.

FAQ

Do I need a GitHub account?

Yes, it's free — sign up at github.com/join.

Should my repo be public or private?

Either works day-to-day. If you want to scan it by pasting a GitHub URL on our scan page, it needs to be public — see our guide on making a repo public. Otherwise, upload a zip export instead and keep it private.

What if git init says a repository already exists?

Some AI tools (like Bolt.new or Replit) already initialize git for you — skip git init and go straight to adding your GitHub repo as the remote.