Git concepts: remote

A Git remote is a common repository that all team members use to exchange their updates. It is hosted on a server, typically on a platform like GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket. A remote repository is often a bare repository — a Git repository that has no working directory.

In simple terms, a Git remote is like a backup that is stored on the internet. Not only does it host the codebase, but it also allows multiple developers to collaborate on a project without interfering with each other's work.

When you clone a remote repository, Git automatically names it "origin". This is a short alias that replaces the URL of the repository. You can add, remove, or modify remote repositories with commands like git remote add, git remote rm, and git remote rename.

Git remotes work closely with the 'fetch', 'pull', and 'push' commands. 'git fetch' allows you to retrieve updates from a remote, 'git pull' fetches these updates and merges them into your current branch, and 'git push' uploads your new commits to the remote repository.

In summary, a git remote is a shared repository where teams can push to and pull from, allowing smooth collaboration and backup of work.