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Whereas the idea of forking a GitHub repository is much like cloning, there is a crucial distinction between the 2. We clarify what the distinction is, when it’s possible you’ll wish to fork as an alternative of clone, and methods to do it.
Cloning vs Forking: What’s the Distinction?
Once you clone a repo, you copy that repository to your native machine and are basically subscribing to any updates made to that repo. That’s, if different contributors to the repository make any modifications, you possibly can pull these modifications to your native machine, updating your copy of the repository with all of the modifications made.
Nevertheless, if you fork a repository, you’re copying the origin repository to your GitHub account as an alternative of your native machine. Once you do that, not one of the updates made to the supply repo will likely be mirrored to your forked repo except you determine to sync the 2. This lets you work on the repo with out the concern of the code or content material being up to date.
When Ought to You Fork As an alternative of Clone?
There are just a few totally different the explanation why it’s possible you’ll wish to fork a repository as an alternative of clone it. One cause is if you wish to check some new concepts you will have with out the concern of by accident messing up the supply challenge. You’d be free to change any code you want for testing functions with out really touching the supply code. This retains everybody glad.
One more reason might be since you don’t agree with the course a challenge goes. You might fork the repository and make your personal modifications to the code to take the challenge within the course you suppose it ought to go.
One crucial be aware to bear in mind is that for those who fork a public repository, your fork nonetheless exists even when the origin repository is deleted. Nevertheless, when a non-public repository is deleted, all forks of that repository are additionally deleted.
RELATED: Methods to Delete a GitHub Repository
Methods to Fork a GitHub Repository
Forking a repo is easy and could be achieved in only a few clicks. To fork a repo, log in to your account after which go to the repository you wish to fork. Within the top-right nook of the window, you’ll see a “Fork” button with a quantity to the fitting of it, which represents the variety of occasions the repository has been forked. Go forward and click on that button.
A message will briefly seem letting you already know that the forking course of has began. It solely takes just a few seconds to fork the repo.
That’s all there may be to it. It’s that simple.
You’re now protected to make any modifications to the code in your forked repository that you simply like. To take action, simply clone the forked repository to your native machine and get busy!
RELATED: Methods to Clone a GitHub Repository
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