Getting started
From a fresh install to a safe first commit — six short steps.
1. Sign in to your hosts
Add a GitHub.com account with OAuth (or a personal access token) in Settings → Accounts (click the account avatar in the status bar to open it). For GitLab.com or a self-hosted GitLab instance on HTTPS, choose Add GitLab (PAT), enter the host domain and token, and give the account a label — personal, work, client — so bindings stay readable.
2. Add a repository
Clone from any signed-in host, add an existing local folder, or create a new repository. HydraTree detects local Git checkouts, so pointing it at a folder you already work in is enough. Every repository, even one with no remote, is bound to a signed-in GitHub.com or GitLab account (step 3), so sign in to at least one first.
3. Bind the repo to an account
Each repository binds to exactly one account. Each repository remembers its own account until you change it. The binding decides the commit author on every commit and the push credential on every sync — no global switch to forget.
4. Stage and commit
The Changes view lists modified, added, and deleted files. Stage whole files or individual hunks, write a summary (and optional description), and commit. The author is always the bound account's identity.
5. Sync with the remote
Fetch, pull, and push from the toolbar. Commit and push are blocked when the bound account is missing or needs re-authentication. Push is also blocked when the remote reports no access.
6. Branch out
Create and switch branches from the branch control. If you switch with uncommitted work, HydraTree can carry the changes along or leave them stashed on the branch they belong to — it restores them when you come back.
The part of HydraTree that differs most from other Git clients is how identities work — if you juggle work, personal, and client accounts, read Accounts & binding next.