Fork & Branch Git WorkFlow

To create a PR (Pull Request), I used a Fork & Branch Git Workflow mentioned below:

Prerequisites:

• GitHub account
• Git installed in local machine

Guidelines:

• Every other open source project has its own set of guidelines to follow before creating a PR. So, please go through the project details & make changes as per the rules.

Terminologies:

• Local: It typically means "on our computer".
• Remote: It is the code hosting service like Github, Bitbucket & others.

Step 1: Fork the Repository

• Open the original repository in GitHub.
• Click on the Fork in the top right corner (below your profile icon).
• In a matter of seconds, it will be ready with your forked repository.

Step 2: Make a Local Clone

• In your local machine, move to the location you want to clone your forked repository. Right-click and choose Git Bash Here option. This will open the Git terminal.
• Type git clone {URL of forked repository}
• In a matter of seconds, it will be ready with your forked repository.

Note:
• "URL of forked repository" will be unique for every user. You can find it under Code > HTTPS in your GitHub account inside the forked repository.
• For any repository, default Git remote name is origin

• Syntax: cd {repository-name} to enter the cloned repository.

Step 3: Adding a Remote

• Syntax: git remote add upstream {URL of original repository}

Note:
• Git remote name to pull changes from the original repo is upstream here.
• You can name it anything. We will need it at a later point.

Step 4: Working In a Branch

1. Create and Checkout

Method 1

git branch {branch-name}

git checkout {branch-name}

OR

Method 2 (shorthand for Method 1)

git checkout -b {branch-name}

Example: git checkout -b feature

Executing either method creates & switches to the new branch i.e feature.

2. Make changes to the files via any editor of your choice Any changes made will be in the feature branch, not main (formerly known as the master) a.k.a root branch.
3. Commit those changes

git add .

git commit -m "{message}"

Step 5: Pushing changes to GitHub

• Syntax: git push {remote} {branch}

git push origin feature

Step 6: Opening a Pull Request

• GitHub makes it incredibly easy. Click on Compare & Pull Request button.
• Provide a brief title & description. Click on Create Pull Request to submit.
• Wait for it to be merged.

Step 7: Cleaning Up After a Merged PR

• Once the PR is merged, pull changes from the original repo

git pull upstream main

Note:
• You need to switch the branch to main before deleting the feature branch (next command).

git checkout main

• Delete the feature branch locally

git branch -d feature

• Push changes to forked repo > main branch

git push origin main

• Delete the feature branch remotely

git push origin --delete feature

Step 8: Keeping your Forked Repo in Sync with the Original Repo

• It's recommended to do this every time before raising a PR / time-to-time to update your Forked Repo > main branch

git pull upstream main

git push origin main