How Do I Update or Sync a Forked Repository on Github?

To update or sync a forked repository on GitHub with its original upstream repository (the one you forked from), you need to perform a few steps. Here's how you can do it:

Step 1: Add the Upstream Remote

First, you need to add the original upstream repository as a remote to your forked repository. You typically only need to do this once:

git remote add upstream <upstream-repository-url>

Replace <upstream-repository-url> with the URL of the original upstream repository. You can usually find this URL on the original repository's GitHub page.

Step 2: Fetch Changes from Upstream

Fetch the changes from the upstream repository:

git fetch upstream

This command will fetch all branches and commits from the upstream repository.

Step 3: Merge or Rebase Changes

Now, you can merge or rebase the changes from the upstream repository into your local branch. You have two options:

Option 1: Merge Changes

git checkout master  # or the branch you want to update
git merge upstream/master

This command will merge the changes from the upstream repository's master branch into your local branch.

Option 2: Rebase Changes (Recommended for Clean History)

git checkout master  # or the branch you want to update
git rebase upstream/master

This command will rebase your local changes on top of the changes from the upstream repository's master branch, resulting in a cleaner commit history.

Step 4: Push Changes to Your Fork

Finally, push the merged or rebased changes to your forked repository on GitHub:

git push origin master  # or the branch you updated

This command will push the changes to your forked repository on GitHub, updating it with the changes from the upstream repository.

Note:

• You may need to resolve any merge conflicts that occur during the merge or rebase process.
• Make sure you have permission to push changes to your forked repository on GitHub.
• It's a good practice to keep your forked repository updated with the changes from the upstream repository to stay in sync with the latest developments.

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