Clone

You might say

Here's a project URL. How do I download the whole codebase to my computer so I can edit it?

Create a local copy of a remote repository and its historyClone downloads a repository, creates a working directory, and configures the original location as a remote. It is normally the first step when joining an existing project. Check the destination path and repository source before running it.

Know first

Terminal Git

Remote repositoryFiles and commit history

Create a local copyclone→

New local repositoryReady to work on your computer

git clone <repository-url>

Clone creates a new local repository from a remote repository, including its files, branches, and commit history. After cloning once, use pull to bring later remote commits into that local repository.

You can say this to an AI Agent

Clone the provided repository into one clearly named new directory, then inspect README, package configuration, and environment examples before installing and starting. Verify remote and branch; use Pull for later synchronization.

When to use it

Start work on an existing repository
<> Code ▾https://github.com/ans-studio/my-first-page.git📋Use the green Code button to copy the HTTPS address
Download a full project history
$ git log --onelinee7b2d48 Fix button misalignment on mobilea3f9c21 Finish the home-page navigation0f1e2d3 Initialize project
Create a fresh local working copy
First clone of the full repository→Then pull incremental updates
Set up the default remote automatically
⑂ Fork→Create a repository copy under your account
Fork copies on the hosting platform; clone downloads locally

When NOT to use it

Clone into a directory that already contains important files
Download ZIP→git log cannot run
A ZIP includes working files, not the .git directory or commit history
Download code from an untrusted source and run it immediately
$ git pushremote: Permission to ans-studio/my-first-page.git denied.
Clone again every time the remote changes
📁 my-first-page
📁 my-first-page-2
📁 my-first-page-latestAfter three clones, it is hard to tell which folder is current
Assume private dependencies and environment settings are included
$ npm run devError: Cannot find module 'react'

Anatomy

https://github.com/maya-lee/my-first-page.git

An HTTPS URL works without setting up an SSH key first.

The Git hosting service, such as GitHub or Gitee

The repository owner; after a fork, this segment becomes your account name

The repository name, which also becomes the local folder name by default

Variants

git clone

git clone https://github.com/maya-lee/my-first-page.git

Download working files, repository metadata, and reachable commit history

clone + 名字

git clone <address> my-app

Want to change the name of the local folder

Download ZIP

Code ▾ → Download ZIP

When you only need working files and no Git history

Fork

Upper right of the webpage ⑂ Fork

When you need to create a remote copy under your own account

Typical use cases

Join a project

my-first-page <> Code ▾

HTTPSSSHGitHub CLI

https://github.com/maya-lee/my-first-page.git 📋 Copy URL

Set up a new computer

zsh — ~/projects

$ git clone https://github.com/maya-lee/my-first-page.git Cloning into 'my-first-page'... remote: Enumerating objects: 36, done. remote: Counting objects: 100% (36/36), done. Receiving objects: 100% (36/36), 12.4 KiB | 2.1 MiB/s, done. Created a local repository at ~/projects/my-first-page

Review an open-source repository

zsh — my-first-page

$ git log --oneline e7b2d48 Fix button alignment on mobile a3f9c21 Finish the home-page navigation b4c5d67 Home page basic version 0f1e2d3 Initialize project After cloning, use git log to view the commit history

Create a clean working copy

maya-lee / my-first-page ⑂ Fork 12

⑂

xiaoli / my-first-page

forked from maya-lee/my-first-page

A fork is a separate repository under your account. Clone the fork locally before working on it and pushing commits to it.

Recommended tool

Web fine-tuning tool · Selector Pro

Select page elements for precise AI edits

Click a button, text, or card, note the change, then copy its exact location to AI.

Open Selector Pro website

A new teammate needs a local copy of a GitHub project, including its code and version history. How should they begin?

A. Download and unzip an archive and treat it as a repository with complete Git historyB. Clone again for every update and distinguish versions through folder namesC. Clone the correct repository, enter the new directory, read README, and install from project configuration

ANS Original Methods

Apply this term in a real workflow

Open-Source Learning

How to Study, Adapt, and Document a GitHub Repo from Explore

Run the original project first, make small changes on a separate branch, and use diffs, commits, and tests to show what you understood and changed.