Cloning a repository

When you want to work on a project that already exists on GitHub, you clone it. Cloning downloads the whole repository - every commit, every branch, all the history - and sets it up on your machine ready to use.

The command

Go to the repository on GitHub, click the green Code button, and copy the URL. Then run:

git clone https://github.com/someuser/some-repo.git

Git creates a new folder named after the repository (some-repo), downloads everything into it, and checks out the default branch (main) so you have real files to look at. Move into the folder and you're ready to work:

cd some-repo

What clone sets up for you

Cloning does more than copy files. It hands you a fully wired-up repository:

• A working copy. The latest files from the default branch, checked out so you can edit them.
• The full history. Every commit and branch is downloaded, not just the current state. You can browse the log and switch branches offline.
• A remote called origin. Git automatically points origin at the URL you cloned from, so git push and git pull know where to go. Check it:

git remote -v

origin  https://github.com/someuser/some-repo.git (fetch)
origin  https://github.com/someuser/some-repo.git (push)

• A tracking connection. Your local main branch is linked to the remote's main, so Git can tell you when you're ahead or behind. More on that in fetching and pulling.

Because clone sets up origin and tracking for you, cloning is the easiest way to start

• there's nothing left to configure before you can push and pull.

Cloning into a specific folder

By default Git names the folder after the repository. To choose a different name, add it at the end:

git clone https://github.com/someuser/some-repo.git my-folder

The name comes from the last part of the URL, and the .git suffix is optional - Git strips it either way. One trick worth knowing: a fresh clone into a new folder is the quickest way to prove a bug isn't caused by leftover uncommitted files on your machine. The clone has only what's actually committed and pushed, so if the problem disappears there, the difference was living in your working directory.

Common mistake

Do not run git clone inside a folder that's already a Git repository. Cloning creates its own new folder with its own .git, and nesting one repository inside another leads to confusion about which repository your commands are talking to. Clone into a plain, empty directory - your projects folder, for example - and let Git make the subfolder.

FAQ

What's the difference between cloning and forking?

Cloning copies a repository to your machine. Forking (covered later in the course) makes a copy under your GitHub account first. You often fork on GitHub, then clone your fork to your machine.

Do I need to run git init after cloning?

No. A cloned folder is already a Git repository - git init is only for starting a brand new repository from scratch.

Can I clone without a GitHub account?

You can clone public repositories without an account. You only need to authenticate to clone private ones, or to push changes back.