New to Netlify: Taking over from other vendor, how to get access to source code

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#1

For one of our clients, we are taking over on this site set up in prismic and hosted here. We have both logins. I need to do a simple CSS change to the site. Sorry I am new to the Netlify way.

In the control panel, the deploys are done via GitHub. The repo is owned by the vendor which I do not have access to. Is it possible to separate and download the source code to create a new repo that I own? Was looking at stopping Auto-Publishing. Need instructions for that.

Wanted to exhaust all options before going back to the former vendor for repo access.

site name is ‘shangrilahawaii’

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#2

hi there, do you have access to the netlify account for the site?

#3

Yes, I have access to the netlify control panel for the site. Sorry for the delay… didn’t get the notification.

#4

To make a change to the source code, you need to be granted access to the GitHub repository.

To stop auto publishing, you can click “Stop auto publishing” from the app Deploy section.

#5

If I click stop auto publishing, can I download the source code, make a new repo and make updates? or am I completely cut off? Wasn’t sure what happens or how to take control.

#6

Netlify doesn’t play that kind of role. You will need access to the Git repository to access code or download it (or ask the client to provide a copy of the download). Turning off auto publishing only tells Netlify to stop deploying a new version of the site whenever a change is made to the Git branch it is watching for changes. Taking control of the repository is really only up to the client to provide access or transfer ownership of the repository to another user (in this case, you).

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#7

hey @bb2j3z, to expand on what @madikarizma said, it is indeed possible to download your generated deploy from netlify (i.e the stuff on the server that the visitor sees)

If you JUST have a static site with html/js/css/images/whatever, then i suppose you could download that (if you have access to the UI, which it seems like you do) and make a new repo, and then push that to github, and then switch your netlify config to use that repo, and then work from it. That is possible. Here’s how you download a deploy:

But, if your site uses anything that was generated in a build step (if it was built using a static site generator, like, hugo or anything else) then you won’t have access to the raw source files, as these are not included in your downloadable deploy. So, you wouldn’t be able to edit any of the original files and then build a new edited site. Does that make sense?

I’m not sure what your best way forward is - unless you have significant obstacles to getting control over the original repo, your best bet (and definitely the most consistent and technically easiest) would be to find a way to take possession of that original repo and just work with that.

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#8

The site is using the CMS platform, Prismic. I’m not that familiar with the platform, but am with other CMS’s like wordpress and umbraco. I’ve asked the client to contact the former vendor to get access to the repo, but any insight on steps to follow if we do not get it would be appreciated.

#9

Cool. Used Prismic for a while myself. It sounds like if you can just get access to the repository you’d be good to go considering it sounds like it’s connected to the Netlify app already.

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