Difference between fork and clone in github

On GitHub, "fork" and "clone" are two operations that are fundamental to working with repositories, but they serve different purposes and are used in different contexts. Here’s a detailed explanation of the differences between the two:

Fork

1. Purpose:

   • A fork creates a personal copy of someone else’s repository under your GitHub account. It allows you to make changes to the project without affecting the original repository.

2. Location:

   • The forked repository resides on your GitHub account as a new repository.

3. Usage:

   • Forking is typically used when you want to contribute to someone else's project. You fork the repository, make changes in your fork, and then submit a pull request to the original repository to propose your changes.

4. Workflow:

   • Fork the repository: Create a copy of the original repository on your GitHub account.
   • Clone your fork: Clone your forked repository to your local machine to start working on it.
   • Make changes: Develop and make changes locally.
   • Push changes: Push your changes to your fork on GitHub.
   • Pull request: Create a pull request from your fork to the original repository to propose your changes.

5. Advantages:

   • Forking allows you to contribute to projects without needing write access to the original repository.
   • It keeps the original project clean while you experiment with changes on your fork.

Clone

1. Purpose:

   • Cloning creates a local copy of a repository on your computer. It allows you to work on the project locally.

2. Location:

   • The cloned repository is stored on your local machine.

3. Usage:

   • Cloning is used when you need a local copy of a repository, either your own or someone else’s, to work on the codebase.

4. Workflow:

   • Clone the repository: Use Git to copy the repository to your local machine using a URL.
   • Work locally: Make changes to the code on your local machine.
   • Commit changes: Save your changes locally by committing them.
   • Push changes: Push your changes to the remote repository if you have write access, or to your fork if you are contributing to someone else's project.

5. Advantages:

   • Cloning allows you to work offline and make changes locally before sharing them with others.
   • It provides full access to the repository’s history and all branches.