--- layout: default title: Forking a project description: How to fork a project, submit changes, and pull from other repos in the fork network categories: collaborating popular main_category: collaborating --- This guide will step you through the process of forking, pushing your changes, and pulling in changes from the upstream repo. We'll use [github-services](http://github.com/pjhyett/github-services) as an example to fork, submit a change, and re-sync with the forked repo. All of the examples on this page assume you're working in the `master` branch. Note that this works for pulling from a forked repository to the original as well. Setting up ---------- First, create your fork. Click the *Fork* button on the project's page. You will be presented with the information for your newly forked repository: ![Fork you](http://img.skitch.com/20100125-8tykuy41tn39emcbsrxy545e9f.jpg) Now clone the fork locally. Make sure you use the *Private URL*, __not__ the *Public URL*. 
$ git clone git@github.com:billyanyteen/github-services.git
Once the clone is complete your repo will have a remote named "origin" that points to your fork on github. Don't let the name confuse you, this __does not__ point to the original repo you forked from. To help you keep track of that repo we will add another remote named "upstream": 
$ cd github-services
$ git remote add upstream git://github.com/pjhyett/github-services.git
$ git fetch upstream
Note that we used the public clone URL for upstream, so we can't push changes directly to it. We probably don't have permission to do that anyway, which is why we're creating a fork in the first place. If the upstream repo is private, you must use its private URL. Pushing your changes -------------------- Now that we've got our fork, we need to make a few changes and commit them locally. Once you've done this, it's time to push your updated branch: 
$ git push origin master
Once you've pushed your commit(s), inform the project owner of the changes so they can pull them into their repo. The best way to do this is by [sending a pull request](/pull-requests/). Pulling in upstream changes --------------------------- Some time has passed, the upstream repo has changed and you want to update your fork before you submit a new patch. There are two ways to do this: 
$ git fetch upstream
$ git merge upstream/master
$ git pull upstream master
`git pull` is a more direct way, but the merge it performs can be confusing if the user doesn't expect it and a merge conflict results. `git fetch` will also grab all branches, where `git pull` grabs only the one specified. If you have local commits that are not in the upstream branch, a normal merge will occur. If your local commits are in the upstream branch, a fast-forward merge will be done, moving your local branch to the same commit as upstream/master. If both repos have edits to the same location in the same file, you may run into a merge conflict. Conflicts must be resolved by hand and a commit made to complete the merge. Now that your local branch has been updated, commit your changes, push, and [send a pull request](/pull-requests/). You may wish to do the fetch and merge manually, instead of letting git-pull do it for you. This can help avoid headaches caused by mysterious merge conflicts. Deleting the forked repository ------------------------------ To remove the fork, delete it like any repo: click the *Admin* button, then the *Delete This Repository…* button. Additional resources -------------------- * [hub](http://github.com/defunkt/hub) * [github-gem](http://github.com/defunkt/github-gem) * [Rails on the Run forking tutorial](http://railsontherun.com/2008/3/3/how-to-use-github-and-submit-a-patch)