# Getting git submodules working **URL:** \ **Category:** Questions\ **Tags:** v2\ **Created:** [June 6, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282 "2015-06-06T18:05:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gtc](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/gtc/32/119_2.png) [@gtc](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/gtc)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/1 "2015-06-06T18:05:52Z")
I have a Kirby site I’ve been working on for some time. It’s tracked in a git repo (which I also use to deploy to my web server). I’ve been unable to get git submodules working for updating the `/kirby` and `/panel` directories. I understand that this is one way to initialize those directories as submodules: ``` git submodule add https://github.com/getkirby/kirby.git git submodule add https://github.com/getkirby/panel.git git submodule update --init --recursive ``` Will that work to add them as submodule directories? Do I need to ``` rm -rf ./kibry ./panel ``` before issuing those commands? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![lukasbestle](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/lukasbestle/32/11437_2.png) [@lukasbestle](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/lukasbestle)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/2 "2015-06-06T18:26:34Z")
If you started with a copy of the `starterkit` repo, you can simply run `git submodule update --init --recursive`, as the submodules are already registered in that repository. What exactly does not work and which error message is generated by Git? ---
**Author:** ![gtc](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/gtc/32/119_2.png) [@gtc](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/gtc)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 6:29pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/3 "2015-06-06T18:29:16Z")
I did not start with the `starterkit` repo. I’ve been updating manually by downloading the Kirby zip file and copying the `kirby` and `panel` directories into my project repo. ---
**Author:** ![texnixe](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/texnixe/32/5754_2.png) [@texnixe](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/texnixe)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 6:45pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/4 "2015-06-06T18:45:58Z")
If you want to use the `git submodule add` command, you need to delete those two folders first, otherwise it won’t work. As an alternative, you can edit your git config file and add the .gitmodules file manually. ---
**Author:** ![lukasbestle](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/lukasbestle/32/11437_2.png) [@lukasbestle](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/lukasbestle)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 6:46pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/5 "2015-06-06T18:46:13Z")
In that case the commands you posted are exactly the right way to setup everything. Simply make sure to delete the Kirby and Panel directories first and run the three commands. After committing, you now basically have your own `starterkit` repo with your own code. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![lukasbestle](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/lukasbestle/32/11437_2.png) [@lukasbestle](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/lukasbestle)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/6 "2015-06-06T18:48:38Z")
> [@texnixe](#): > > As an alternative, you can edit your git config file and add the .gitmodules file manually. But given there is the `git submodule add` command, it makes much more sense to simply use that. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![texnixe](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/texnixe/32/5754_2.png) [@texnixe](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/texnixe)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/7 "2015-06-06T18:51:15Z")
@lukasbestle Of course it makes more sense 😜 ---
**Author:** ![gtc](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/gtc/32/119_2.png) [@gtc](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/gtc)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2015, 1:09am UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/8 "2015-06-07T01:09:26Z")
OK, I this worked, but now when I push the repo to the server to deploy it uploads an empty kirby directory. Any ideas? **Edit:** Looks like this might be a bit complicated. E.g., > I’m using the deployment method mentioned here: > **[How To Set Up Automatic Deployment with Git with a VPS | DigitalOcean](https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-set-up-automatic-deployment-with-git-with-a-vps)** > > This article will teach you how to use Git when you want to deploy your application. While there are many ways to use Git to deploy our application, we'll focus on the one that is most straightforward. Maybe add the command to update `kirby` from `post-receive`? ---
**Author:** ![SQBiz](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/sqbiz/32/5014_2.png) [@SQBiz](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/SQBiz)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2015, 1:30am UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/9 "2015-06-07T01:30:18Z")
@gtc, are you pushing to github or to your own server? Some deployment options like dandelion and git-ftp don’t work with submodules. see: [Deploying via Git](http://forum.getkirby.com/t/deploying-via-git/168) ---
**Author:** ![gtc](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/gtc/32/119_2.png) [@gtc](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/gtc)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2015, 1:33am UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/10 "2015-06-07T01:33:14Z")
(See edited post above. Thanks!) ---
**Author:** ![gtc](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/gtc/32/119_2.png) [@gtc](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/gtc)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2015, 3:37am UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/11 "2015-06-07T03:37:24Z")
So, I found this. I’ve not untangled the instructions or tried it yet, but it seems to allude to the possibility of making this work. [http://aaronadams.ca/post/37345904654/git-push-with-submodules](http://aaronadams.ca/post/37345904654/git-push-with-submodules) ---
**Author:** ![gtc](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/gtc/32/119_2.png) [@gtc](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/gtc)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 9:36pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/12 "2015-06-26T21:36:25Z")
[bump] Any ideas? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![SQBiz](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/sqbiz/32/5014_2.png) [@SQBiz](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/SQBiz)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 11:17pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/13 "2015-06-27T23:17:39Z")
according to [this issue](https://github.com/LeanMeanFightingMachine/dploy/issues/48) on the github page for dploy, version 2 should be released soon and supports submodules. ---
**Author:** ![gtc](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/gtc/32/119_2.png) [@gtc](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/gtc)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2015, 12:04am UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/14 "2015-06-28T00:04:43Z")
Interesting. Thanks. Guess I could just `scp` the files up if I’m not using git directly. ---
**Author:** ![tobiasweh](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/tobiasweh/32/13376_2.png) [@tobiasweh](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/tobiasweh)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 12:13pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/15 "2015-11-09T12:13:39Z")
Hi, as the new 2.1.2 is out I wonder if it is possible to add this as a submodule to an existing kirby project, i.e. there’s already a `kriby` folder but I want to sync it with the submodule now … ---
**Author:** ![texnixe](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/texnixe/32/5754_2.png) [@texnixe](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/texnixe)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 1:15pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/16 "2015-11-09T13:15:13Z")
You can simply remove the existing folders, initialize a new Git repo (if not yet), and then add the submodules with ```auto git submodule add git@github.com:getkirby/panel.git ``` And the same for the core, of course. ---
**Author:** ![tobiasweh](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/tobiasweh/32/13376_2.png) [@tobiasweh](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/tobiasweh)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 1:31pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/17 "2015-11-09T13:31:02Z")
That was what I tried, but it failed with this message ```nohighlight 'panel' already exists in the index ``` ---
**Author:** ![texnixe](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/texnixe/32/5754_2.png) [@texnixe](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/texnixe)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 3:49pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/18 "2015-11-09T15:49:23Z")
That should only happen if the submodule already exist. Do you have a .gitmodules file in your repo? ---
**Author:** ![tobiasweh](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/tobiasweh/32/13376_2.png) [@tobiasweh](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/tobiasweh)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 4:02pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/19 "2015-11-09T16:02:00Z")
As far as I can tell no … BTW: I’m using Tower to manage my repos. ---
**Author:** ![lukasbestle](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/lukasbestle/32/11437_2.png) [@lukasbestle](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/lukasbestle)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 4:04pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282/20 "2015-11-09T16:04:16Z")
You should be able to use the following: ```bash cd kirby git checkout master git pull git submodule update --init --recursive cd .. cd panel git checkout master git pull cd .. git add kirby panel git commit -m "Update Kirby" ``` [Next page](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/getting-git-submodules-working/1282.md?page=2)