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What is a fork on GitHub?
A fork is your own copy of someone else's project on GitHub, which you can change without touching the original.
- Category GitHub & code
- Also called forked, forking
- Updated 20 Oct 2026
Fork, explained simply
When you fork a repo, GitHub makes a full copy under your account. The original stays as it was.
People fork to try changes, build a new version, or suggest a fix back to the original.
For example, you might fork a free tool, change a few settings for your own needs, and keep using your version.
On ITG Now, our tool guides may mention forks when a tool has popular copies, so you know which repo is the original.
Related terms
RepoPull requestGitHubOpen sourcegit clone
Where you'll see it on ITG Now
- GuideKarpathy autoresearch: AI That Runs Experiments Overnight
- GuideAI Job Search: Tailor Your CV With AI for Every Job (2026)
- GuideREA: Reverse Engineer Anything With Your AI Agent (2026)
- GuideHallmark: Free AI Web Design Skill for Claude Code (2026)
- GuideRecordly: Free Screen Recorder With Auto-Zoom (2026)
Questions people ask about Fork
Is forking free?
Yes. Forking a public repo costs nothing on GitHub.
Fork vs clone: what is the difference?
A fork copies the repo to your GitHub account. A clone copies it to your computer.
Can I fork any repo?
You can fork public repos. The license decides how you may use and share your copy.