diff --git a/exercise_utils/cli.py b/exercise_utils/cli.py
index c66057f..45fff1f 100644
--- a/exercise_utils/cli.py
+++ b/exercise_utils/cli.py
@@ -45,3 +45,21 @@ def run_command_no_exit(command: List[str], verbose: bool) -> Optional[str]:
         if verbose:
             print(e.stderr)
         return None
+
+
+def run_command_with_code(command: List[str], verbose: bool) -> tuple[Optional[str], int]:
+    """Runs the given command and returns (output, return code)."""
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            command,
+            capture_output=True,
+            text=True,
+            check=True,
+        )
+        if verbose:
+            print(result.stdout)
+        return result.stdout, result.returncode
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
+        if verbose:
+            print(e.stderr)
+        return e.stderr, e.returncode
diff --git a/exercise_utils/git.py b/exercise_utils/git.py
index 5df9919..18f2462 100644
--- a/exercise_utils/git.py
+++ b/exercise_utils/git.py
@@ -78,3 +78,8 @@ def track_remote_branch(remote: str, branch: str, verbose: bool) -> None:
 def remove_remote(remote: str, verbose: bool) -> None:
     """Removes a given remote."""
     run_command(["git", "remote", "rm", remote], verbose)
+
+
+def add_remote(remote: str, remote_url: str, verbose: bool) -> None:
+    """Adds a remote with the given name and URL."""
+    run_command(["git", "remote", "add", remote, remote_url], verbose)
diff --git a/hands_on/populate_remote.py b/hands_on/populate_remote.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9656b21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hands_on/populate_remote.py
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+import os
+import sys
+
+from exercise_utils.cli import run_command, run_command_with_code
+from exercise_utils.file import create_or_update_file, append_to_file
+from exercise_utils.git import add, init, commit, add_remote
+
+__requires_git__ = True
+__requires_github__ = True
+
+REPO_NAME = "gitmastery-things"
+
+
+def download(verbose: bool):
+    _setup_local_repository(verbose)
+    _create_things_repository(verbose)
+    _link_repositories(verbose)
+
+
+def _setup_local_repository(verbose: bool):
+    os.makedirs("things")
+    os.chdir("things")
+    init(verbose)
+
+    create_or_update_file(
+        "fruits.txt",
+        """
+        apples
+        bananas
+        cherries
+        dragon fruits
+        """,
+    )
+    add(["fruits.txt"], verbose)
+
+    append_to_file("fruits.txt", "figs")
+    add(["fruits.txt"], verbose)
+    commit("Insert figs into fruits.txt", verbose)
+
+    create_or_update_file(
+        "colours.txt",
+        """
+        a file for colours 
+        """,
+    )
+    create_or_update_file(
+        "shapes.txt",
+        """
+        a file for shapes 
+        """,
+    )
+    add(["colours.txt", "shapes.txt"], verbose)
+    commit("Add colours.txt, shapes.txt", verbose)
+
+
+def _create_things_repository(verbose: bool):
+    """Create the gitmastery-things repository, deleting any existing ones."""
+    full_repo_name = _get_full_repo_name(verbose)
+    _, return_code = run_command_with_code(
+        ["gh", "repo", "view", full_repo_name], verbose
+    )
+
+    if return_code == 0:
+        print(
+            f"\nRepository 'https://github.com/{full_repo_name}' already exists on GitHub.\n"
+            "Please delete the existing repository before proceeding."
+        )
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    run_command(["gh", "repo", "create", REPO_NAME, "--public"], verbose)
+
+
+def _link_repositories(verbose: bool):
+    full_repo_name = _get_full_repo_name(verbose)
+    add_remote("origin", f"https://github.com/{full_repo_name}", verbose)
+
+
+def _get_full_repo_name(verbose: bool) -> str:
+    output = run_command(["gh", "api", "user", "-q", ".login"], verbose)
+    username = output.strip() if output else ""
+    return f"{username}/{REPO_NAME}"