Git Fork vs Branch

1. Forking
2. Branching
3. Forking VS Branching in Git

Git is the finest, cheapest, and simplest version control system of this modern era. It is considered the main core part of the developer’s life as it is used in their daily workflows and projects within the complex team environment.

In this block, we will look deeply into the process of forking and branching in Git and discuss the main differences between these features of Git one by one.

Forking and branching are considered two brilliant methods for developing an open-source project. These essential and beneficial features of Git let its users enhance their contributions and collaboration on open-source projects.

Let’s discuss both concepts in detail below, and then we will compare both with the table.

Forking

Forking in the software world is a term in which a developer creates a copy of some source code from the original software package and makes some independent development by making some unique or special code.

Forking applies to the Git account. In Git, when developers fork a repository, they make a copy of the original upstream repository.

Instead of creating a new repository from the original one, the original remains on the developer’s Git account.

Forking a repository is to observe changes in the project without infecting the original project. The reasons why forking could be beneficial are listed below.

1. Forking proposes changes to other developers’ projects.
2. Forking helps in availing an existing project as an initial point.

Branching

The branch in Git is referred to as the distinct and latest form of the main repository. It’s the killer feature of Git that is very flexible and easy to use.

It allows multiple developers to work on other parts of the open-source project without affecting the main branch. It lets us work on the project by improving the working codebase.

Branches are used to develop a different and distinct line of development in the project to fix a bug or add a new feature. The Master branch is the default or primary branch in Git.

When we create a repository, the main branch is created. Branching is mostly used when in a big team, many developers are working on the same feature, so each of them creates a separate branch for their work, and once every one of them completes the desired work, then they merge all the separate branches into a single branch.

Forking VS Branching in Git

A fork is the only copy of a Git repository, whereas a branch is a place that stores snapshots of a commit and these commits are added to a branch.

Forking is the process done once while starting work on the project, whereas branching can be regularly done while working on a big project within the team.

Let’s observe this through the comparison table below.