[How-to] Use GitHub Desktop to clone and commit to a Bitbucket repository just as you would with any GitHub repository. (Mac)

GitHub-Desktop-Bitbucket.md

⚠️ Note: this guide is from 2016 – a long time on the internet. Content may be outdated, check the comments for more recent info.

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Clone Bitbucket Repository and Add it to GitHub Desktop App (Mac)

You can’t clone a Bitbucket repo using GithHub Desktop directly. Instead you would have to:

1. Clone the Bitbucket repo locally via command line.
2. Add the cloned repository to your GitHub Desktop app.

After completing these 2 steps, you’ll be able to execute sync, push, pull, commit, and other git commands available in GitHub Desktop for your Bitbucket repository just as you would for any GitHub repository.

You will need your Bitbucket repository’s git URL as available on the Overview page of your repository:

1. Clone Bitbucket Repository Locally via Command Line

1. Open Terminal app.
2. Type cd /Local/path/to/parent-folder/to/clone/into (replacing that sample path with the local path to the parent folder you want to clone your Bitbucket repository into).
3. Hit enter. You’ve just opened that parent folder on the command line.
4. Type git clone https://[email protected]/path/to/your-repo.git (replacing that sample URL with the Bitbucket URL available on the Overview page of your repository).
5. Hit enter and watch the repository being cloned. (Once it’s done, it’ll say something like …done in one of the last lines.)

2. Add Cloned Repository to Your GitHub Desktop App

1. Open GitHub Desktop.

2. In the upper right corner (if your sidbar is open) press the large + button.

3. Select Add to add an exisiting local repository.

4. On the Add tab click the Choose… button, navigate to the folder you have just cloned your Bitbucket repository into, and select it.

   

5. Your newly added repository will appear at the bottom of your sidebar in the Other section.

That’s it. You should now be able execute git operations on your Bitbucket repository via your GitHub Desktop app just as on any GitHub repository.

Couple more things:

• You have to add your machine's SSH key to your BitBucket account (Profile > Settings, SSH Keys) if you haven't already
• I had to run ssh -T [email protected] on the command line for a new machine setup to add it to a list of known hosts to actually fetch from GitHub Desktop, even after doing all of the above

My bitbucket account had no password as I use to login via Gmail account. So I generated an App Password from bitbucket and used that password with my username.

https://bitbucket.org/account/user/{username}/app-passwords

Thank you, @rishabh876.

@notasausage how can i set it up on windows 8.1 with ssh to aws codecommit.

My bitbucket account had no password as I use to login via Gmail account. So I generated an App Password from bitbucket and used that password with my username.

https://bitbucket.org/account/user/{username}/app-passwords

Thank you, @rishabh876. This works perfectly!