Introduction

Greetings and welcome back, GitHub geeks. Today, in this article we would discuss the major differences between Git Clone & Git Fork. They are two very distinct actions in GitHub, each serving different purposes. With reference to our previous article, we are aware of both Git Clone & Git Fork. But, here we are majorly going to list down the differences in their usage.

Differences between Git Clone & Git Fork

Finally, let’s break down the key differences between them –

Git Clone

Purpose

Git Clone is used to create a local copy of a Git repository, including all its files, commit history, and branches. It allows you to work with the repository on your local machine.

Ownership

As far as the ownership is concerned, so when you clone a repository, you are creating a read-only copy of someone else’s repository. You do not own or have administrative control over the original repository.

Branches

Cloning a repository gives you access to all the branches in the repository, including the default branch (usually “master” or “main”) and any other branches that have been created.

Changes

Once you can make changes to the files in your local clone, create new branches, commit changes, and push those changes back to the remote repository if you have the necessary permissions.

Collaboration

Cloning is typically used for contributing to open-source projects or working collaboratively with a team on a shared codebase.

Git Fork

Purpose

Git Fork is used to create a copy of an entire GitHub repository under your own GitHub account. It allows you to have your own separate copy of the repository on GitHub.

Ownership

Now, when you fork a repository, the forked copy becomes part of your GitHub account. You have administrative control over your fork, and you can make changes to it as you see fit.

Branches

Your fork initially contains all the branches from the original repository. However, the branches in your fork are separate from the original repository and any other forks.

Changes

You can make changes to your forked repository, create new branches, commit changes, and push those changes to your fork. These changes are isolated from the original repository and other forks.

Collaboration

Forking is often used when you want to contribute to a project, but do not have direct write access to the original repository. You can make changes in your fork and then create Pull Requests to propose those changes to the original repository.

Conclusion

In summary, Git Clone is used to create a local copy of a Git repository on your computer, while Git Fork is used to create a copy of a GitHub repository under your own GitHub account. Cloning is for local development and collaboration, while forking is often used in open-source and collaborative development scenarios on GitHub, allowing you to contribute changes to other projects.

Still, 🤔 if you have any questions/queries please comment them below and we would try our best to answer them at the earliest.

HAPPY LEARNING!! 😊