On remote server as user git init --bare ~/private/deploy.git echo '#!/bin/sh echo 'updating website' GIT_WORK_TREE=/var/www/vhosts/site.diedrick.net/httpdocs/ git checkout -f' > /var/www/vhosts/site.diedrick.net/private/deploy.git/hooks/post-receive && chmod 755 /var/www/vhosts/site.diedrick.net/private/deploy.git/hooks/post-receive On local machine in git repo #add deploy remote git remote add deploy ssh://site@spindle.bytestudios.com/var/www/vhosts/site.diedrick.net/private/deploy.git Create a .gitignore inside your local repo of folders not to overwrite about/ contact/