Fork (software development): Difference between revisions

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{{redirect|Fork (software)|the operation whereby a process creates a copy of itself|fork (system call)}}

[[File:Linux Distribution Timeline.svg|thumb|upright|A timeline chart of how [[Linux distribution]]s have forked]]

In [[software engineering]], a '''project fork''' happens when developers take a copy of [[source code]] from one [[Computer software|software package]] and startsstart independent development on it, creating a distinct and separate piece of software. The term often implies not merely a [[branching (revision control)|development branch]], but also a split in the developer community; as such, it is a form of [[schism]].<ref>"Schism", with its connotations, is a common usage, ''e.g.'' [http://www.jwz.org/doc/lemacs.html "the Lemacs/FSFmacs schism"] {{webarchive|url=https://www.webcitation.org/5lyRUxhVp?url=http://www.jwz.org/doc/lemacs.html |date=12 December 2009 }} ([[Jamie Zawinski]], 2000), [https://lwn.net/Articles/419822/ "Behind the KOffice split"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130706094238/http://lwn.net/Articles/419822/ |date=6 July 2013 }} (Joe Brockmeier, ''Linux Weekly News'', 2010-12-14), [http://www.h-online.com/open/features/Copyright-assignment-Once-bitten-twice-shy-1049631.html "Copyright assignment - once bitten, twice shy"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330153250/http://www.h-online.com/open/features/Copyright-assignment-Once-bitten-twice-shy-1049631.html |date=30 March 2012 }} (Richard Hillesley, ''H-Online'', 2010-08-06), [http://dashes.com/anil/2010/09/forking-is-a-feature.html "Forking is a feature"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229032536/http://dashes.com/anil/2010/09/forking-is-a-feature.html |date=29 February 2012 }} ([[Anil Dash]], 2010-09-10), [http://www.linuxjournal.com/node/1000101 "The Great Software Schism"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106065841/http://www.linuxjournal.com/node/1000101 |date=6 January 2012 }} ([[Glyn Moody]], ''Linux Journal'', 2006-09-28), [http://mako.cc/writing/to_fork_or_not_to_fork.html "To Fork Or Not To Fork: Lessons From Ubuntu and Debian"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226160810/http://mako.cc/writing/to_fork_or_not_to_fork.html |date=26 February 2012 }} ([[Benjamin Mako Hill]], 2005).</ref> Grounds for forking are varying user preferences and stagnated or discontinued development of the original software.

[[Free and open-source software]] is that which, by definition, may be forked from the original development team without prior permission, and without violating [[copyright]] law. However, licensed forks of proprietary software (''e.g.'' [[Unix]]) also happen.