If you're new to Git or working in a DevOps team, knowing how to fork a repository is a must-have skill. In this guide, we'll walk through how to do it using Gitea, a self-hosted Git service that's lightweight and developer-friendly.
Let’s say a developer named Jon just joined the Nautilus project team and needs to start contributing code. Here's how Jon can fork an existing repo under his account.
🔐 Step 1: Login to Gitea UI
First, open the Gitea web interface. If you're part of an internal DevOps setup, there’s usually a Gitea link provided in your developer dashboard or portal.
- Click the Gitea UI button on the top bar.
- Login with:
-
Username:
jon - Password:
-
Username:
Once logged in, you'll land on your user dashboard.
🔍 Step 2: Find the Repository to Fork
We’re looking for a specific repository named sarah/story-blog.
- Use the search bar at the top of the page.
- Type
sarah/story-blogand press Enter. - Click the repository name to open it.
🍴 Step 3: Fork the Repository
Inside the sarah/story-blog repository:
- Look at the top-right corner and click the Fork button.
- When prompted to choose where to fork, select jon (your own user account).
- Click Fork Repository.
That’s it. Gitea will create a copy of the repo under your account: jon/story-blog.
✅ Why Forking Is Useful
Forking lets you:
- Make changes independently without affecting the original project.
- Create new features or fix bugs in isolation.
- Raise pull requests (PRs) when your code is ready to be merged.
Think of it like making a copy of a shared Google Doc before editing—it keeps things clean and avoids chaos.
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