clone

basicwidespread

Cloning is copying an entire code repository to your own machine, including the history of previous versions, so you can work on it locally.

In plain terms

Imagine that instead of photocopying a single page from a shared recipe book, you copy the entire book, including all previous corrections, strikethroughs, and marginal notes. Cloning works the same way with code: you make a complete copy of the project stored on a remote server, the repository, on your own machine.

It is useful for experimenting quietly on your own copy: nothing touches the original until you send back your changes. Meanwhile, you can work without internet and review any previous state.

It differs from a simple download in that the copy remembers its origin. Later, with a single command, you can retrieve others' updated modifications, and if you have permission, you can also upload your own changes.

In the AI era, this is one of the most common first steps: the coding agent often starts work by cloning the project and working on its own copy.

How it works

Copy the project's address (URL) from the code-sharing site, such as GitHub or GitLab.
You issue the clone command (git clone and the address) or press the appropriate button in your development tool.
The version control system named Git downloads all files and the complete change history into a new folder on your machine.
The copy notes its origin: it saves the original repository's address under the name "origin".
From here, you work locally, pulling updates and pushing your own changes if you have the necessary permissions.

An everyday example

You find a free, open-source billing program on GitHub and want to try it. The first line of the installation guide will almost certainly be 'clone the repo' – this brings the program's full code to your machine, where you can then run or modify it.

Who is affected

developerAlmost all your work begins by cloning the project you will be working on. → Code

jobseeker, new graduateFor developer roles, cloning a repository is a basic requirement, and trial tasks are often assigned this way. → Work & HR

parent, student, teacherIn programming education, the curriculum and tasks are often shared as cloneable repositories. → Education & Family

entrepreneur, executiveNote that cloning your company's code creates a full copy on someone else's machine, so it matters who you grant access to.

A common misconception

MythCloning is some kind of illegal copying, stealing code.

In realityCloning is a routine, standard development operation and works only with repositories you have access to. What you can do with the copied code is governed by the project license, not the cloning process itself.

Limits and risks

Your clone does not update itself: if others change the original meanwhile, you must request it separately.
Just because you managed to clone it does not mean you can use it freely: always check the license.
Code cloned from an external source can cause harm, so do not run it without inspection—and do not allow the coding agent to do so either.
The full history is downloaded too, so if a password or secret key was ever committed to the repository, it can still be found in the history even if it was later deleted from the files. And it cannot be withdrawn afterwards from clones that already exist.

Similar, but not the same

fork – A fork creates an independent copy of the project under your own account on the server, while a clone goes to your own machine.
download (ZIP) – A ZIP download provides only the files' current state, without history or connection to the original.
pull – Cloning is the initial full copy, while pulling updates your existing copy with new changes.

Related concepts

Broader

version control, Git

Narrower

shallow clone

On the edge

repo, fork, pull, push, commit

A brief history

Cloning in its current sense spread with the Git version control system, which Linus Torvalds created in 2005 for Linux development. In Git, every clone is by default a full copy containing the project's entire history.

Where things stand

At the end of 2026, cloning is a basic operation in software development, and Git is almost the sole standard. Coding agents clone repositories automatically and in large numbers so they can work on isolated copies.

Status: 2026 November

In the news

Appears in 22 Agent Age stories; the curve shows weekly occurrence in the news magazine.

OccupySaaS open-source project uses AI to clone costly servicesNov 4, 2026 · Code
Anthropic restricts Claude Code from cloning video gamesNov 2, 2026 · Code
Anthropic updates Claude to stop it from recreating existing video gamesOct 31, 2026 · Jog
Claude Code and Codex start blocking game cloning and reverse engineeringOct 30, 2026 · Code
AI clones lead indie developers to withhold their games from public viewOct 19, 2026 · Code
AI voice-cloning and fake-retailer scams target retail customersOct 19, 2026 · Money
Deepfake executive scams: $95 million loss, FBI data, INTERPOL and KeyBank warningsOct 19, 2026 · Money
Hungarian experts: scammers use AI and psychological pressure to drain bank accountsOct 15, 2026 · Money

Also known as

clone · clone · cloning · git clone · repo cloning · repository cloning · cloning · cloning

Sources

This entry was machine-edited and has undergone machine expert review; the “In the news” section updates automatically from Agent Age stories.