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How to create pull request from forked repo

Mark Stevens

July 8, 2020

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When contributing to open-source projects or collaborating on code with others, creating a pull request is a common way to propose changes and request their inclusion. A pull request allows you to suggest modifications to the original codebase stored in a central repository without directly modifying it. Instead, you create a copy of the repository, known as a fork, to make your changes. Once you’ve made the desired changes in your forked repo, you can submit a pull request to the original repository’s owners, who can then review and merge your changes if acceptable.

To create a pull request from a forked repository, follow these steps:

1. Fork the Repository: Go to the repository you wish to contribute to and click on the “Fork” button in the top-right corner. This will create a personal copy of the repository in your GitHub account.
2. Clone the Repository: On your local machine, navigate to the location where you want to clone the repository. Use the git clone command followed by the URL of your forked repository to create a local copy.
3. Create a New Branch: Switch to the repository’s directory on your local machine using the cd command. Then, create a new branch to work on using the git checkout -b command. Give your branch a descriptive name to indicate the changes you plan to make.
4. Make and Commit Changes: Use your preferred code editor to make the desired changes to the codebase. Once you’re satisfied with your modifications, save your changes and stage them for commit using the git add command. Then, commit your changes with a descriptive message using the git commit command.
5. Push Changes to Your Fork: Use the git push command to push your committed changes to your forked repo on GitHub.
6. Create Pull Request: Open your forked repository in your web browser and navigate to the “Pull Requests” tab. Click on the “New Pull Request” button. Choose the original repository’s branch you want your changes to be merged into and provide an informative title and description for your pull request. Once you’re satisfied, click on the “Create Pull Request” button to submit it.

Congratulations! You have successfully created a pull request from your forked repository. Now, it’s up to the repository owners to review your changes and decide whether to merge them into the original codebase. Remember to keep an eye on the pull request for any feedback or questions from the owners. Happy contributing!

What is a Pull Request

A pull request is a way to propose changes to a repo owned by someone else. It allows you to notify the original repo’s owner that you have made changes to their code and you would like them to review and potentially merge those changes into the original repo.

When you fork a repo, you create a copy of the original repo under your own account. This allows you to freely experiment with and modify the code without affecting the original repo. Once you have made changes and are ready to propose them, you can submit a pull request.

Submitting a pull request involves a few steps:

Step 1: Create a New Branch

Before making any changes, it is recommended to create a new branch in your forked repo. This helps keep your changes separate from the main branch and ensures that the pull request only contains the intended changes.

Step 2: Make Changes and Commit

Next, make the necessary changes to the code in your branch. This could include fixing bugs, adding new features, or updating documentation. Once you are satisfied with the changes, you need to commit them to your branch.

Step 3: Submit the Pull Request

After committing your changes, you can submit the pull request. This notifies the original repo’s owner of your changes and allows them to review and discuss the proposed changes with you.

It is important to provide a clear and concise description of the changes you have made in the pull request. This helps the owner understand the purpose and impact of the changes.

Definition and Purpose

When working on a project that uses version control software like Git, it is common to fork a repository. Forking a repository creates a personal copy of the original repository under your account. The forked repository can be modified and updated independently from the original repository.

The purpose of creating a pull request from a forked repository is to propose changes to the original repository. This process allows you to suggest modifications or additions to the original project that you don’t have direct access to. A pull request is a way to initiate a discussion and collaboration with the project maintainers.

Once you have made the desired changes to your forked repository, you can submit a pull request to the original repository. The pull request contains information about the changes you have made and provides an opportunity for the project maintainers to review and discuss the proposed changes. They can suggest further modifications, provide feedback, or even merge the changes into the original repository.

Advantages of using pull requests from forked repositories:

1. Separation: Forking a repository allows you to work on your changes separately without affecting the original project.
2. Collaboration: Pull requests enable collaboration and communication between the project maintainers and contributors.
3. Code quality: The review process of pull requests helps to ensure the code quality and adherence to project standards.
4. Version control: Pull requests serve as a historical record of proposed changes, enabling easy tracking and retrieval of past modifications.

In summary, creating a pull request from a forked repository is an essential part of contributing to open source projects or collaborative software development. It allows for discussion, collaboration, and quality control when proposing changes to a repository that you don’t have direct access to.

Creating a Fork

Before creating a pull request from a forked repository, you need to create a fork of the original repository. Here are the steps to create a fork:

Step 1: Find the Original Repository

First, locate the original repository on GitHub. You can use the search bar or navigate directly to the repository’s URL.

Step 2: Fork the Repository

Once you have found the repository, click on the “Fork” button located in the top-right corner of the repository’s page. This will create a copy of the repository under your GitHub account.

After forking, you will be redirected to the forked repository’s page. Take a moment to confirm that you are indeed in your forked repository by checking the URL.

Now that you have created a fork, you can make changes to the code and eventually create a pull request to contribute your changes back to the original repository. Remember to regularly sync your fork with the original repository to keep it up to date.

Keep in mind that forking a repository creates an exact copy of the code at that point in time. Any changes made to the original repository after forking will not automatically be reflected in your forked repository. You will need to manually sync your fork to get the latest updates.

How to Fork a Repository

Before you can create a pull request from a forked repository, you’ll need to know how to fork a repository.

Forking a repository allows you to create a copy of the repository in your own GitHub account. This is useful when you want to make changes to a project without affecting the original repository.

Step 1: Navigate to the Repository

To fork a repository, start by navigating to the original repository that you want to fork. You can do this by searching for the repository on GitHub or by clicking on a link that directs you to the repository.

Step 2: Fork the Repository

Once you are on the repository’s page, you will see a button on the top right corner of the page that says “Fork”. Click on this button to fork the repository.

GitHub will then create a copy of the repository in your account. You will be redirected to the page of the forked repository in your account.

Now you have successfully forked the repository and can make changes to it without affecting the original repository.

Cloning the Repository

In order to create a pull request from a forked repository, you first need to clone the repository to your local machine. Cloning allows you to create a local copy of the repository that you can work with.

To clone the repository, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the original repository (not your forked version) on GitHub.
2. Click on the “Code” button located at the top-right of the repository page.
3. Copy the URL provided under the “Clone” section.
4. Open your terminal or command prompt.
5. Change the current working directory to the location where you want to clone the repository.
6. Use the git command “clone” followed by the URL you copied earlier.

Here is an example of the command you would use:

git clone https://github.com/example/repository.git

Replace “https://github.com/example/repository.git” with the actual URL of the repository you want to clone.

Once the repository has been cloned, you can navigate into the cloned directory using the “cd” command. Now you have a local copy of the repository on your machine that you can work with.

Updating the Forked Repository

Before creating a pull request, it’s important to keep your forked repository up to date with the latest changes from the original repository. This ensures that your changes are made on top of the most recent codebase.

To update your forked repository, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to your forked repository on GitHub.
2. Click on the “Fetch upstream” button located at the top-right of the repository page.
3. Click on the “Fetch and merge” button to update your fork with the latest changes.

Now your forked repository is updated with the latest changes from the original repository, and you can proceed with creating a pull request.

Steps to Clone the Forked Repository

Follow these steps to clone a forked repository:

1. Open the terminal on your local machine.
2. Navigate to the directory where you want to clone the forked repository.
3. Copy the HTTPS clone URL of the forked repository from the GitHub website.
4. Execute the command git clone followed by the copied clone URL.
5. Press Enter to start the cloning process.
6. Wait for the cloning process to complete.
7. Once the cloning is finished, you will have a local copy of the forked repository on your machine.

By following these steps, you will have successfully cloned the forked repository, allowing you to make changes and create a pull request.