What is the difference between origin and upstream on GitHub?

git, git-branch, github

Solution

This should be understood in the context of GitHub forks (where you fork a GitHub repo on GitHub before cloning that fork locally).

- `upstream` generally refers to the original repo that you have forked (see also "Definition of “`downstream`” and “`upstream`”" for more on `upstream` term)

- `origin` is your fork: your own repo on GitHub, clone of the original repo of GitHub

From the GitHub page:

When a repo is cloned, it has a default remote called `origin` that points to your fork on GitHub, not the original repo it was forked from. To keep track of the original repo, you need to add another remote named `upstream`

git remote add upstream https://github.com/<aUser>/<aRepo.git>

(with `aUser/aRepo` the reference for the original creator and repository, that you have forked)

Note: since Sept. 2021, the unauthenticated git protocol (`git://...`) on port 9418 is no longer supported on GitHub.

You will use `upstream` to fetch from the original repo (in order to keep your local copy in sync with the project you want to contribute to).

git fetch upstream

(`git fetch` alone would fetch from `origin` by default, which is not what is needed here)

You will use `origin` to pull and push since you can contribute to your own repository.

git pull
git push

(again, without parameters, 'origin' is used by default)

You will contribute back to the `upstream` repo by making a pull request.

Problem

Original source

Related problems

• Definition of "downstream" and "upstream"