Fork and pull request workflow in Git - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - Fork and pull request workflow

Fork repository

↓

Clone fork locally

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Create new branch

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Make changes & commit

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Push branch to fork

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Open pull request

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Review & merge by original repo

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Pull updates to local repo

This flow shows how you copy a repo (fork), work on your copy, then ask the original repo to add your changes via a pull request.

Execution Sample

Git

# Fork repository on GitHub UI
git clone https://github.com/yourname/repo.git
git remote add upstream https://github.com/original/repo.git
git checkout -b feature-branch
# edit files
git commit -am "Add feature"
git push origin feature-branch
# open pull request on GitHub

Commands to fork a repo, clone it, create a branch, commit changes, push, and open a pull request.

Process Table

Step	Action	Command/Description	Result/State Change
1	Fork repository	Fork on GitHub UI	Your GitHub account has a copy of the original repo
2	Clone fork locally	git clone https://github.com/yourname/repo.git git remote add upstream https://github.com/original/repo.git	Local copy of your forked repo created, upstream remote added
3	Create new branch	git checkout -b feature-branch	New branch 'feature-branch' created and checked out
4	Make changes & commit	Edit files + git commit -am "Add feature"	Changes saved in local branch with commit
5	Push branch to fork	git push origin feature-branch	Branch and commits uploaded to your GitHub fork
6	Open pull request	Open PR on GitHub from feature-branch to original repo	Pull request created for review
7	Review & merge	Original repo maintainer reviews and merges PR	Changes merged into original repo
8	Pull updates locally	git checkout main git pull upstream main	Local repo updated with merged changes
9	Exit	Workflow complete	Your changes are now part of the original repo

💡 Pull request merged and local repo updated, workflow ends

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 3	After Step 4	After Step 5	After Step 7	Final
Repository	Original repo only	Forked repo cloned locally	Branch 'feature-branch' with changes	Branch pushed to fork on GitHub	PR merged in original repo	Local repo updated with merged changes
Branch	main	feature-branch created	feature-branch with commit	feature-branch on fork remote	feature-branch merged to main	main updated locally

Key Moments - 3 Insights

Why do we create a new branch instead of committing directly to main?

Creating a new branch isolates your changes so the main branch stays stable. See execution_table step 3 and 4 where the branch is created and commits happen there.

What happens if you push changes directly to the original repo?

You usually can't push directly unless you have permission. Forking lets you work independently. Step 5 shows pushing to your fork, not original repo.

Why do we pull updates from the original repo after merging?

To keep your local copy up to date with the original repo's latest changes. Step 8 shows pulling updates after PR merge.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution table, at which step is the new branch created?

A Step 2

B Step 5

C Step 3

D Step 6

💡 Hint

Check the 'Action' column for branch creation in the execution_table.

At which step does the pull request get merged into the original repo?

A Step 4

B Step 7

C Step 5

D Step 8

💡 Hint

Look for 'Review & merge' action in the execution_table.

If you skip pushing your branch to your fork, what will happen when opening a pull request?

A Pull request will fail to open

B Pull request will show no changes

C Pull request will merge automatically

D Pull request will open but be empty

💡 Hint

Refer to step 5 and 6 in execution_table about pushing branch before opening PR.

Concept Snapshot

Fork and pull request workflow:
1. Fork repo on GitHub to create your copy.
2. Clone your fork locally.
3. Create a new branch for your changes.
4. Commit and push changes to your fork.
5. Open a pull request to original repo.
6. Original repo reviews and merges your changes.

Full Transcript

The fork and pull request workflow starts by copying a repository on GitHub (fork). Then you clone your fork to your computer. Next, create a new branch to keep your work separate from the main code. Make your changes and commit them locally. Push this branch to your fork on GitHub. Open a pull request from your branch to the original repository to ask for your changes to be added. The original repo maintainer reviews and merges your changes. Finally, pull the latest changes to keep your local repo updated. This workflow helps keep the original project stable while allowing many people to contribute safely.