> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://gitdeveloperguide.solomonmarvel.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://gitdeveloperguide.solomonmarvel.com/working-with-remote-repositories/collaborating-with-git-practice-scenarios/collaborative-workflow-with-forking-and-pull-requests.md).

# Collaborative Workflow with Forking and Pull Requests

Let's go through a practical step by step process, from forking the repository to creating a feature branch, making changes, and finally submitting a pull request for review and merging.

#### <mark style="color:blue;">Scenario</mark>

Let's imagine that Alice, a developer, wants to contribute to an open-source project called "AwesomeApp." The project is hosted on a platform like GitHub, which supports the forking and pull request workflow.

#### Step 1: Forking the Repository&#x20;

To contribute to "AwesomeApp," Alice needs to fork the repository. Forking creates a copy of the project under Alice's GitHub account, allowing her to freely make changes without affecting the original codebase.

* Alice goes to the "AwesomeApp" repository on GitHub.
* She clicks on the "Fork" button in the top-right corner of the repository page.
* GitHub creates a copy of the repository under Alice's GitHub account.

#### Step 2: Cloning the Forked Repository&#x20;

After forking the repository, Alice needs to clone it to her local machine to start working on the changes.

* Alice opens a terminal on her machine.
* She uses the following Git command to clone the forked repository

```bash
git clone https://github.com/Alice/AwesomeApp.git
```

Note: Replace "Alice" with her GitHub username.

* The repository is now cloned to Alice's local machine.

#### Step 3: Creating a Feature Branch&#x20;

To make changes to the project, Alice should create a new branch dedicated to her feature or bug fix.

* Alice navigates into the cloned repository's directory:

```bash
cd AwesomeApp
```

* She creates a new branch, naming it descriptively:

```bash
git checkout -b alice-add-new-feature
```

This command creates and switches to the new branch, `alice-add-new-feature`

#### Step 4: Making Changes&#x20;

Now that Alice has created a feature branch, she can start making the desired changes to the codebase.

* Alice opens the code files using her preferred text editor or IDE.
* She makes the necessary modifications, adds new functionality, or fixes bugs.

#### Step 5: Committing Changes&#x20;

Once Alice has made the desired changes, she needs to commit them to the feature branch.

* Alice stages the changes she made:

```bash
git checkout -b alice-add-new-feature
```

* This command stages all the modified and new files for commit.
* She commits the changes with a descriptive message:

```bash
git commit -m "Add new feature: XYZ"
```

Replace "XYZ" with a brief description of the added feature.

#### Step 6: Pushing the Feature Branch&#x20;

After committing the changes locally, Alice needs to push the feature branch to her forked repository on GitHub.

* Alice pushes the feature branch:

```bash
git push origin alice-add-new-feature
```

* This command pushes the branch to Alice's forked repository.

#### Step 7: Creating a Pull Request&#x20;

Now that Alice has pushed her feature branch, she can open a pull request to propose the changes to the original "AwesomeApp" repository.

* Alice navigates to her forked repository on GitHub.
* She clicks on the "New Pull Request" button near the top of the repository page.
* GitHub compares the changes in Alice's feature branch with the main branch of the original repository.
* Alice reviews the changes, adds a descriptive title and comment, and clicks on the "Create Pull Request" button

#### Step 8: Review and Merge&#x20;

After Alice has created the pull request, the project maintainers will review her changes and decide whether to merge them into the main codebase.

* The maintainers of "AwesomeApp" receive a notification about the new pull request.
* They review the proposed changes, provide feedback, and discuss any necessary modifications with Alice through comments.
* Alice can continue making changes and pushing them to the feature branch based on the feedback until the pull request is approved.
* Once the maintainers are satisfied with the changes, they merge Alice's pull request into the main branch of "AwesomeApp."
* Alice's contribution is now a part of the project, and her feature is available to all users of "AwesomeApp."