# How to add a file

You can create a file in your [shell](command-line-commands.md) or in GitLab.

To create a file in GitLab, sign in to GitLab.

Select a project on the right side of your screen:

![Select a project](basicsimages/select_project.png)

It's a good idea to [create a branch](create-branch.md), but it's not necessary.

Go to the directory where you'd like to add the file and click on the "+" sign next to the name of the project and directory:

![Create a file](basicsimages/create_file.png)

Name your file (you can't add spaces, so you can use hyphens or underscores). Don't forget to include the markup language you'd like to use :

![File name](basicsimages/file_name.png)

Add all the information that you'd like to include in your file:

![Add information](basicsimages/white_space.png)

Add a commit message based on what you just added and then click on "commit changes":

![Commit changes](basicsimages/commit_changes.png)

### Note
Besides its regular files, every directory needs a README.md or README.html file which works like an index, telling
what the directory is about. It's the first document you'll find when you open a directory.