Fork (Software)
| In software development, a fork is when a developer creates a new program by copying the source code from an existing program. Forks can happen for a variety of reasons, but usually it's because the developer wants to add a new feature or change something about the original program. Forks can be created by anyone with access to the source code, and they don't need permission from the original author. This makes forks a powerful tool for collaboration, since developers can easily experiment with new ideas without affecting the main project. However, forks can also create problems. If two developers make different changes to a fork, it can be hard to merge the changes back into the original project. This can cause confusion and duplication of effort. Forks are an important part of the open source development model, and they have been used to create some of the most popular software programs in the world, including the Linux operating system. |
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