63 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
63 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
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---
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stage: Create
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group: Source Code
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info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
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---
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# Git terminology
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The following are commonly-used Git terms.
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## Repository
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In GitLab, files are stored in a **repository**. A repository is similar to how you
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store files in a folder or directory on your computer.
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- A **remote repository** refers to the files in GitLab.
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- A **local copy** refers to the files on your computer.
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<!-- vale gitlab.Spelling = NO -->
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<!-- vale gitlab.SubstitutionWarning = NO -->
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Often, the word "repository" is shortened to "repo".
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<!-- vale gitlab.Spelling = YES -->
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<!-- vale gitlab.SubstitutionWarning = YES -->
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In GitLab, a repository is contained in a **project**.
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## Fork
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When you want to contribute to someone else's repository, you make a copy of it.
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This copy is called a [**fork**](../../user/project/repository/forking_workflow.md#creating-a-fork).
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The process is called "creating a fork."
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When you fork a repo, you create a copy of the project in your own
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[namespace](../../user/group/#namespaces). You then have write permissions to modify the project files
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and settings.
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For example, you can fork this project, <https://gitlab.com/gitlab-tests/sample-project/>, into your namespace.
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You now have your own copy of the repository. You can view the namespace in the URL, for example
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`https://gitlab.com/your-namespace/sample-project/`.
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Then you can clone the repository to your local machine, work on the files, and submit changes back to the
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original repository.
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## Difference between download and clone
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To create a copy of a remote repository's files on your computer, you can either
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**download** or **clone** the repository. If you download it, you cannot sync the repository with the
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remote repository on GitLab.
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[Cloning](../../gitlab-basics/start-using-git.md#clone-a-repository) a repository is the same as downloading, except it preserves the Git connection
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with the remote repository. You can then modify the files locally and
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upload the changes to the remote repository on GitLab.
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## Pull and push
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After you save a local copy of a repository and modify the files on your computer, you can upload the
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changes to GitLab. This is referred to as **pushing** to the remote, because you use the command
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[`git push`](../../gitlab-basics/start-using-git.md#send-changes-to-gitlabcom).
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When the remote repository changes, your local copy is behind. You can update your local copy with the new
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changes in the remote repository.
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This is referred to as **pulling** from the remote, because you use the command
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[`git pull`](../../gitlab-basics/start-using-git.md#download-the-latest-changes-in-the-project).
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