Hey everyone, I’m a bit stuck with my GitHub fork. I made some changes to a project I forked and got my pull request accepted. That’s great, but now there are new commits in the original repo. I’m not sure how to get those new changes into my fork. Can anyone walk me through the steps to update my forked repository? I’ve tried looking it up, but I’m still confused about the right way to do it. Is there an easy method using the GitHub interface, or do I need to use the command line? Any help would be really appreciated!
Updating a GitHub fork can be a bit tricky at first, but it’s a crucial skill to master. I’ve found that using the command line is the most reliable method. Here’s what I do:
First, I add the original repository as a remote called ‘upstream’ if I haven’t already. Then I fetch the latest changes from upstream, checkout my main branch, and merge the upstream changes. Finally, I push these updates to my fork.
The exact commands would be:
git remote add upstream https://github.com/original/repo.git
git fetch upstream
git checkout main
git merge upstream/main
git push origin main
This process keeps your fork in sync and prevents conflicts when submitting future pull requests. It might seem complex initially, but it becomes routine with practice.
I’ve been in your shoes before, and I know how frustrating it can be to keep a fork updated.
Here’s what’s worked for me:
First, I make sure I’ve got the original repo set as an ‘upstream’ remote. Then, I fetch the latest changes from upstream, switch to my main branch, and merge those new updates. After that, I push the changes to my fork.
The commands I use are:
git remote add upstream [original repo URL]
git fetch upstream
git checkout main
git merge upstream/main
git push origin main
It might seem like a lot at first, but it becomes second nature pretty quickly. I find this method gives me the most control and helps me understand what’s happening with my fork.
If you’re not comfortable with the command line yet, there are GUI tools that can help, but I’d encourage you to give the command line a shot. It’s a valuable skill to have in your toolkit.
hey there! i’ve had this issue too. what works for me is using the github desktop app. it’s super easy - just click the ‘fetch origin’ button, then ‘pull origin’. boom, your fork is updated! no need to mess with command line stuff. give it a try, it’s a lifesaver for us non-techies 
Updating a GitHub fork can indeed be a bit daunting at first. In my experience, the most reliable method is using the command line. Here’s the process I follow:
- Ensure the original repo is set as ‘upstream’
- Fetch the latest changes
- Merge these changes into your local main branch
- Push the updated branch to your fork
The specific commands are:
git remote add upstream [original repo URL]
git fetch upstream
git checkout main
git merge upstream/main
git push origin main
This approach gives you full control over the process. While it may seem complex initially, it becomes routine with practice. It’s a valuable skill that will serve you well in collaborative projects.
I’ve dealt with this scenario a few times and found that the best approach is to keep your fork synchronized with the upstream repository. In my experience, I first verify that I have the original repository set as an upstream remote. Then I fetch the latest changes, switch to my main branch, and merge those new updates. After the merge, I push the updated branch back to my fork. This process may seem a bit technical, but over time it becomes second nature. The command line method, although it requires some familiarity, has always been the most efficient for me.