---
title: Clone and fork
description: Every repository at ~/code/owner/repo, one command away, with your fork and its upstream set up.
---

```sh
dot clone vercel/next.js                   # ~/code/vercel/next.js
dot clone https://github.com/shadcn-ui/ui  # URLs work too
dot fork vercel/next.js                    # your fork, in ~/code/<you>/next.js
dot cd                                     # your dotfiles repo
```

Every repo lives at `~/code/<owner>/<repo>`, mirroring GitHub, so you always
know where a project is. In zsh, each of these commands takes you to the
folder.

## clone

- Accepts `owner/repo` and any GitHub URL form: `https://`, `git@`,
  `ssh://`, with `.git`, `/tree/…`, `?…` or `#…`. Other hosts are refused.
- Clones over SSH with your key from 1Password, and uses GitHub's spelling of
  the name.
- If the repo is already there, it only takes you to it. It never overwrites
  a folder holding something else, and a failed clone leaves nothing behind.

## fork

- Forks the repo to your account, or reuses your fork, even one GitHub
  renamed, then clones it and adds the original as `upstream`.
- Forking your own repo just clones it.
- Your username comes from `user` under `[github]` in `dot.toml`, and forking
  goes through `gh` ([GitHub](/docs/your-projects/accounts/github)).
- If it can't list your forks on GitHub, it stops rather than risk a
  duplicate.

## In scripts

The only thing a command prints on stdout is the path, so scripts and agents
can use it:

```sh
dir=$(~/code/<you>/dotfiles/bin/dot clone vercel/next.js)
```

Call it by its path in scripts: the `dot` shell function, which changes
folders, only exists in interactive zsh.