Fork
Also called forked repository.
In plain English
A fork is your own copy of someone else's repositoryA repository is a project's stored files and their recorded change history, commonly managed with Git. on GitHub, where you can make changes without touching the original.
Example
You fork an open project, fix a typo in your copy, and open a pull requestA pull request asks people to review proposed code changes and combine them into a target branch. asking the owner to take the fix.
Why it matters
GitHub's docs describe a fork as a new repositoryA repository is a project's stored files and their recorded change history, commonly managed with Git. that starts as a copy of the original, has its own settings, and stays connected to it. You can change your fork freely, then open a pull requestA pull request asks people to review proposed code changes and combine them into a target branch. to suggest those changes back to the original project.
How it shows up on bot.ski
To suggest a change to a public project you can't edit directly, you fork it, then open a pull requestA pull request asks people to review proposed code changes and combine them into a target branch..
Common confusion
A fork is not the same as a cloneA clone is a new copy of a Git repository, history included, created in a new directory.. A fork is a copy on GitHub. A clone is a copy on a computer.
Sources
Updated October 11, 2026.