diff --git a/extensions/github/package.json b/extensions/github/package.json
index 81e7646d464..e8213756e9f 100644
--- a/extensions/github/package.json
+++ b/extensions/github/package.json
@@ -18,6 +18,21 @@
     "vscode.git"
   ],
   "main": "./out/extension.js",
+  "contributes": {
+    "commands": [
+      {
+        "command": "github.publish",
+        "title": "Publish to GitHub"
+      }
+    ]
+  },
+  "viewsWelcome": [
+    {
+      "view": "scm",
+      "contents": "%welcome.publishFolder%",
+      "when": "config.git.enabled && git.state == initialized && workbenchState == folder"
+    }
+  ],
   "scripts": {
     "vscode:prepublish": "npm run compile",
     "compile": "gulp compile-extension:github",
diff --git a/extensions/github/package.nls.json b/extensions/github/package.nls.json
index 9132f0a2bf0..66c6b04ab12 100644
--- a/extensions/github/package.nls.json
+++ b/extensions/github/package.nls.json
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 {
 	"displayName": "GitHub",
-	"description": "GitHub"
+	"description": "GitHub",
+	"welcome.publishFolder": "You can also directly publish this folder to a GitHub repository.\n[$(github) Publish to GitHub](command:github.publish)"
 }
diff --git a/extensions/github/src/commands.ts b/extensions/github/src/commands.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6ca4c6ac819
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/github/src/commands.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ *  Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
+ *  Licensed under the MIT License. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
+ *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+import * as vscode from 'vscode';
+import { API as GitAPI } from './typings/git';
+import { getOctokit } from './octokit';
+
+function sanitizeRepositoryName(value: string): string {
+	return value.trim().replace(/[^a-z0-9_.]/ig, '-');
+}
+
+export function registerGlobalCommands(context: vscode.ExtensionContext, gitAPI: GitAPI) {
+	async function publish(): Promise<void> {
+		if (!vscode.workspace.workspaceFolders?.length) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		const folder = vscode.workspace.workspaceFolders[0]; // TODO
+
+		const octokit = await getOctokit();
+		const user = await octokit.users.getAuthenticated({});
+		const owner = user.data.login;
+
+		const quickpick = vscode.window.createQuickPick<vscode.QuickPickItem & { repo?: string, auth?: 'https' | 'ssh' }>();
+		quickpick.ignoreFocusOut = true;
+
+		quickpick.placeholder = 'Repository Name';
+		quickpick.show();
+
+		let repo: string | undefined;
+
+		const onDidChangeValue = async () => {
+			const sanitizedRepo = sanitizeRepositoryName(quickpick.value);
+
+			if (!sanitizedRepo) {
+				quickpick.items = [];
+			} else {
+				quickpick.items = [{ label: `$(repo) Create private repository`, description: `$(github) ${owner}/${sanitizedRepo}`, alwaysShow: true, repo: sanitizedRepo }];
+			}
+		};
+
+		quickpick.value = folder.name;
+		onDidChangeValue();
+
+		while (true) {
+			const listener = quickpick.onDidChangeValue(onDidChangeValue);
+			const pick = await getPick(quickpick);
+			listener.dispose();
+
+			repo = pick?.repo;
+
+			if (repo) {
+				try {
+					quickpick.busy = true;
+					await octokit.repos.get({ owner, repo: repo });
+					quickpick.items = [{ label: `$(error) Repository already exists`, description: `$(github) ${owner}/${repo}`, alwaysShow: true }];
+				} catch {
+					break;
+				} finally {
+					quickpick.busy = false;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		quickpick.dispose();
+
+		if (!repo) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		const githubRepository = await vscode.window.withProgress({ location: vscode.ProgressLocation.Notification, cancellable: false, title: 'Publish to GitHub' }, async progress => {
+			progress.report({ message: 'Creating private repository in GitHub', increment: 25 });
+
+			const res = await octokit.repos.createForAuthenticatedUser({
+				name: repo!,
+				private: true
+			});
+
+			const createdGithubRepository = res.data;
+
+			progress.report({ message: 'Creating first commit', increment: 25 });
+			const repository = await gitAPI.init(folder.uri);
+
+			if (!repository) {
+				return;
+			}
+
+			await repository.commit('first commit', { all: true });
+
+			progress.report({ message: 'Uploading files', increment: 25 });
+			await repository.addRemote('origin', createdGithubRepository.clone_url);
+			await repository.push('origin', 'master', true);
+
+			return createdGithubRepository;
+		});
+
+		if (!githubRepository) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		const openInGitHub = 'Open In GitHub';
+		const action = await vscode.window.showInformationMessage(`Successfully published the '${owner}/${repo}' repository on GitHub.`, openInGitHub);
+
+		if (action === openInGitHub) {
+			vscode.commands.executeCommand('vscode.open', vscode.Uri.parse(githubRepository.html_url));
+		}
+	}
+
+	context.subscriptions.push(vscode.commands.registerCommand('github.publish', async () => {
+		try {
+			publish();
+		} catch (err) {
+			vscode.window.showErrorMessage(err.message);
+		}
+	}));
+}
+
+function getPick<T extends vscode.QuickPickItem>(quickpick: vscode.QuickPick<T>): Promise<T | undefined> {
+	return Promise.race<T | undefined>([
+		new Promise<T>(c => quickpick.onDidAccept(() => quickpick.selectedItems.length > 0 && c(quickpick.selectedItems[0]))),
+		new Promise<undefined>(c => quickpick.onDidHide(() => c(undefined)))
+	]);
+}