Cheat Sheets · Git Cheat Sheet · Git Sync Fork with Upstream — Step-by-Step

Git Sync Fork with Upstream — Step-by-Step

git remote add upstream <original-repo-url>

1. Add upstream remote (one-time setup)

git fetch upstream

2. Fetch latest commits and branches from upstream

git checkout main && git merge upstream/main

3. Fast-forward your local main branch

git push origin main

4. Push synchronized changes to your GitHub fork

Complete fork sync sequence

Command	Step
`git remote add upstream <original-repo-url>`	`1. Add upstream remote (one-time setup)`
`git fetch upstream`	`2. Fetch latest commits and branches from upstream`
`git checkout main && git merge upstream/main`	`3. Fast-forward your local main branch`
`git push origin main`	`4. Push synchronized changes to your GitHub fork`

Keeping a fork updated prevents merge conflicts when you submit pull requests to the original open-source repository.

Related Git recipes

Undo Last Commit — 3 Safe Ways Discard Local Changes — Safely and Completely Delete a Branch — Local and Remote Stash — Park Changes Without Committing Amend the Last Commit Undo a Pushed Commit — The Safe Way (git revert) Rename Local Branch — Safely & Quickly Rename Remote Branch — Complete 3-Step Process Cherry Pick — Apply a Specific Commit Elsewhere Squash Last N Commits — Combine Multiple Commits Delete Remote Tag — Local and Remote Change Commit Author — Email & Name Unstage File — Remove from Staging Area Log Graph — Visual Commit History in Terminal Clean Untracked Files — Remove Clutter Safely Switch Branch — Modern Branch Navigation Create Branch from Commit — Branch Off History Stash Untracked Files (-u and -a Flags) Force Pull — Overwrite Local Changes with Remote Resolve Merge Conflict — Complete Workflow Show Commit — Inspect Changes in a Commit Tag a Release — Lightweight & Annotated Tags

FAQ

How do I verify if upstream is configured?
Run git remote -v. You should see both origin (your fork) and upstream (original repo).

Should I merge or rebase against upstream?
For main, merge (or fast-forward) is standard. For your feature branches, rebase against upstream/main to keep clean linear history.

Can I use the GitHub UI "Sync fork" button?
Yes, the GitHub UI button does the same fast-forward merge on the remote side. Afterwards, run git pull locally.

Stop memorizing — build it interactively

Build remote workflows in the Git Builder

Full reference: Git Cheat Sheet