Why am I getting a "destination path '.' already exists" error when trying clone from my webfaction server?

Question

I'm trying to use git clone to download the codes from my webfaction server

$ cd ../webapps/nameofwebapp/
$ git clone [email protected]:github-username/github-repo.git ./

AND there is error :

fatal: destination path '.' already exists and is not an empty directory.

I use ls and there are something under the nameofwebapp

auth  git.cgi  gitweb.cgi  repos  static

I want to ask where to use git clone Do I need to make a new directory??

Solution 1

Simply:

git clone [email protected]:github-username/github-repo.git

That will create a new folder github-repo in ../webapps/nameofwebapp/.

In your case:

cd ../webapps/nameofwebapp/
git clone [email protected]:github-username/github-repo.git -b develop ./

If you already did the clone:

cd github-repo
git checkout -b develop origin/develop

Solution 2

Maybe you have a same name git project directory in current path, git clone command will create a new directory and will crash if there is a same name directory.

Comments

[user2492364]

it works but seems it clone the wrong branch.there are tow branches on git.master and develop.and I want to clone develop

[user2492364]

now my git branch only have "master".I want to delete it and retry your "git clone [email protected]:github-username/github-repo.git -b develop ./" can you teach me how to remove the github-repo directory

[VonC]

@user2492364 you can remove the folder. But I have fixed the checkout command. Give it a try.

[VonC]

@user2492364 yes, the clone command clones all branches in the origin namespace. You just need to create the one you need from one of those origin/xxx branches.