Should You Upload Files To Github That Contain Api Keys?

How To Create A .gitignore File To Hide Your API Keys

This is going to be a short merely very important instructional on how to set up a .gitignore file.

What is a .gitignore file?

A .gitignore file is a file that is created in the root directory of a repository that tells Git which files and/or directories to ignore when a Git commit is made.

Why would you lot need a .gitignore file?

Y'all would want to use a .gitignore file someday you lot volition exist storing code in a public Git repository and you lot demand to protect code that should not be publicly accessible. This code could include usernames, API keys, passwords, etc.

I am going to use an case of how to configure a .gitignore file when you are working with an API (Awarding Programming Interface).

What is an API?

An application program interface (API) is a fix of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications. Basically, an API specifies how software components should interact. Additionally, APIs are used when programming graphical user interface (GUI) components. A good API makes information technology easier to develop a program by providing all the building blocks. A programmer then puts the blocks together.¹

Got that? No, me neither. I think this explanation, past Petr Gazarov, at freecodecamp.org, sums up what an API is quite nicely —

"when a company offers an API to their customers, it just means that they've built a set of dedicated URLs that return pure data responses."²

Many companies, such as Twitter, NYC Open Information and Weather Underground, let you access to this data through these APIs.

Setting Up Your .gitignore File

Navigate to GitHub to create new repository. Name your repository, initialize with a README (optional) and, nearly importantly, Add .gitignore:

Navigate to the .gitignore file to edit:

Add the py file(southward) that you want Git to ignore. Commit when completed:

config.py will be the Python file that I create to hold code that includes my API fundamental, API undercover key, username and password, code that I exercise not want to exist available publicly.

Clone your repository:

From the last, navigate to where you want your repository to live and clone the repository:

Navigate to your repository in Jupyter Notebook and open up a New → Text File:

Create your config.py script. Proper name your file as config.py and Save:

Import config to admission config.py script:

E'er retrieve to periodically Git Add together, Commit and Push button to GitHub:

There you have information technology, you should now exist able to create a .gitignore file, just, more importantly, you should now sympathize WHY yous should utilise a .gitignore file.

¹ https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/API.html

² https://world wide web.freecodecamp.org/news/what-is-an-api-in-english-please-b880a3214a82/