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GitHub is a website where people keep code and work on it together. You don’t need it: Ted builds and changes your website in Foundable either way. Connect GitHub if you want a copy of your website’s code that you own, or if a developer works on your website with you. When you connect a website, Foundable makes a new private repository for it: a place on GitHub that holds the website’s code. From then on, every version Ted saves goes to GitHub, and changes someone pushes to GitHub come back into Foundable as new versions.
The GitHub tool for a connected website: its repository, In sync with GitHub, For developers, Download code and Disconnect from GitHub.

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Before you start

  • A GitHub account, for you or your business. You can make one at github.com.
  • The owner or admin role in your foundable.
  • A website that Ted has saved at least once.

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Connect your GitHub account

You connect a GitHub account or organization once. Then any of your websites can sync with it.
1

Open Git in Settings

Open the account menu, choose Settings, then Git. Press Add connection.
2

Pick the account

Under Select installation, press Connect beside your account in Available installations. If it isn’t listed, press Add account under Install on new account. An organization that doesn’t have the app yet shows under Organizations without app installed, with Install.
3

Approve Foundable on GitHub

If GitHub opens in a small window, sign in if it asks, and approve or install the Foundable app on the account.
4

Check it’s connected

Back in Foundable, you see “GitHub app connected!”, and the account appears in the list.

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Connect a website

1

Open the GitHub tool

In Build, press Tools, then GitHub. Pick the website at the top if it isn’t the one you want.
2

Press Connect

Under Connect to GitHub, “Foundable makes a new private repository for this website. It’s yours.” Press Connect beside the GitHub account to use. No account listed yet? Press Add GitHub account.
3

Wait for the first sync

A message says “Syncing … with GitHub”, then “… synced”, with View on GitHub.
You can also ask Ted in the chat, or press + in the message box and choose GitHub. When Ted can connect a website, he shows a card with Connect repository. Foundable always makes a new repository named after the website. It can’t connect a repository you already have.

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How syncing works

  • From Foundable to GitHub: each version Ted saves becomes one commit on GitHub, pushed by Foundable’s GitHub app.
  • From GitHub to Foundable: a change pushed to the synced branch on GitHub comes back as a new version of your website. If its code doesn’t build, Build says “Build errors need fixing” and offers Try to fix where Publish usually is.
  • Files that stay on GitHub: some files never come into Foundable, like .env files (keep secrets in Secrets instead), credential files, links, submodules and node_modules. The GitHub tool lists them: “Kept on GitHub only, not in Foundable: …”.

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Sync status

The GitHub tool shows the repository’s name, how the sync stands, and when it last synced and checked. Press the Re-check button beside it to check again.

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When GitHub refuses your changes

Sometimes GitHub won’t take your latest versions: a rule protects the synced branch, or someone pushed newer changes that can’t be combined with yours. Then your versions go to a branch named foundable-sync instead. You see “Your latest changes could not be pushed to the synced branch”, with why:
  • “GitHub refused changes to main, which a rule on GitHub protects.”
  • “Newer commits on main and your changes couldn’t be combined automatically.”
To bring the changes in, merge foundable-sync into your synced branch on GitHub.

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If a push to GitHub replaced your work

If someone pushes to GitHub in a way that replaces work saved in Foundable, Foundable keeps your earlier work in a backup. You see “A repository push replaced your Foundable work” with Review restore. Then choose:
  • Restore Foundable work to bring your earlier work back.
  • Keep repository version to keep what’s on GitHub. Your earlier work stays in the backup.
  • Decide later.
After a restore, Foundable syncs your work back to GitHub. If the repository has newer changes, your work goes to a separate sync branch. Merge that branch into your main branch on GitHub (Merge on GitHub), or your next push can replace your work again. Only the owner can restore. Other teammates see “Ask the owner to restore your work.”

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For developers

Open For developers (“Branch, clone link, saved work”) in the GitHub tool:
  • Branch: “Choose the GitHub branch you want to sync with Foundable”. Search with “Find a branch…”, or press Create branch and type a Branch name.
  • Clone: copy the address for HTTPS, SSH or GitHub CLI.
You can’t switch branches while Ted is changing the website: “Cannot switch branches while Ted is editing this website”.

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Download your code

Download code saves “A ZIP of this website’s code.” Press Download. It works with or without GitHub connected. Download code needs a paid plan; on Free, the card doesn’t show.

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Disconnect a website

1

Press Disconnect from GitHub

It’s the last card in the GitHub tool.
2

Confirm

Foundable asks “Disconnect from GitHub?”: “Your code will remain in both Foundable and GitHub, but changes will no longer be synchronized.” Type the repository’s name and press Disconnect.
You see “Website disconnected from GitHub”. Deleting a website in Build also leaves its repository on GitHub.

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Manage your GitHub connections

Settings › Git lists your connections with Name, Websites, Owner and Updated. Press one to open it:
  • Configure on GitHub opens the app’s settings on GitHub.
  • Linked websites lists the websites that sync with it. Tick some, then press Unlink (it shows how many) to stop them syncing.
  • Delete this connection: “This will permanently delete the connection and disconnect all linked websites.” Press Delete and type its name to confirm. The repositories on GitHub aren’t deleted.
A connection marked Suspended or Uninstalled means the Foundable app was suspended or uninstalled on GitHub. Press Reconnect to set it up again.

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Who can do what

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What you’ll see

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FAQ

No. Your website lives in Foundable, and Ted works on it there. GitHub is for keeping a copy of the code you own, or for working with a developer.
No. Foundable always makes a new private repository for each website, named after it.
Yes. A push to the synced branch comes back as a new version of your website. Nothing goes live until you publish.
Select installation lists only organizations where you show your membership publicly on GitHub, and GitHub keeps it private by default. Press Add account instead, which lists every account you can install the app on.
It stays on GitHub. Deleting a website, disconnecting it or deleting a connection never deletes a repository.

Version history

Every version Ted saves, and going back to one.

Security and secrets

Keep keys in Secrets, not in your code.

Tools

Everything that runs behind your website.

Connect your apps

Let Ted work in the other tools you use.