Forks - Other

In software engineering, a project fork happens when developers take a copy of source code from one software package and start independent development on it, creating a distinct piece of software. more...

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Free or open source software is, by definition, that which is possible to fork without permission of the original creator. However, licensed forks of proprietary software (e.g. Unix) can also be important.

Branching

A kind of fork that is standard practice in many projects is a stable or release version, modified only for bug fixes, while a development tree develops new features. Such forks are often referred to instead as "branches" both to avoid the negative connotations of a fork and because it is closer in intent and function to the common software engineering meaning of branching.

Free software

Free or open source software is possible to fork with no prior permission, per the definitions of "free software" ("Freedom 3: The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits") and "open source" ("3. Derived Works: redistribution of modifications must be allowed. (To allow legal sharing and to permit new features or repairs.)").

In free software, forks often result from a schism over different goals or personality clashes. In a fork, both parties assume nearly identical code bases but typically only the larger group, or that containing the original architect, will retain the full original name and its associated user community. Thus there is a reputation penalty associated with forking. The relationship between the different teams can be cordial (e.g., Ubuntu and Debian), very bitter (X.Org Server and XFree86, or cdrtools and cdrkit) or none to speak of (most branching Linux distributions).

Forks are considered an expression of the freedom made available by free software, but a weakness since they duplicate development efforts and can confuse users over which forked package to use. Developers have the option to collaborate and pool resources with free software, but it is not ensured by free software licenses, only by a commitment to cooperation. That said, many developers will make the effort to put changes into all relevant forks, e.g., amongst the BSDs.

The Cathedral and the Bazaar stated in 1997 that "The most important characteristic of a fork is that it spawns competing projects that cannot later exchange code, splitting the potential developer community." However, this is not common present usage.

Read more at Wikipedia.org