Forking and cloning

Try an idea without a risk to the main design.

Get your own copy of a project or a component with forking or cloning.

Overview

Flux gives you two ways to copy a project: forking and cloning.

Forking

When you fork a project, its history of changes is preserved.

Ask Flux to fork a project. Give the project link or name, and the owner of the new copy.

Fork this project into my account.

Fork https://www.flux.ai/acme/robot-arm-base into our organization, then rename the copy to Robot Arm Base Rev B.

To do it in the UI:

To fork a project, open the project you want to fork. Then select Flux menu → Fork Project.

Alternatively, you can use the "Fork" shortcut next to the "Star" icon in the top left.

Cloning

Cloning a project makes a clean copy without any history preservation.

Ask Flux to clone a project.

Clone this project into my account.

Clone the enclosure project into our organization as a starting point for the new handheld device.

To do it in the UI:

To clone a project, open the project you want to clone. Then select Flux menu → Clone Project.

Try a change on a separate copy and merge it back

Ask Flux to try a change on a separate copy of the design. Flux forks the project and does the work in the fork. Your design does not change while Flux works. Flux then compares the two designs and merges the better result back into your project. Flux also keeps a copy of your design from before the merge.

Make a small 5 V to 3.3 V, 500 mA power board with a linear regulator. Then try a buck converter version on a separate copy of the design, so this design stays untouched while you work. If the buck version is better, merge it back into this project.

Try a USB-C power input on a separate copy of this board. Keep this design as it is. If the new input works, merge it back.

Fork this enclosure and try a snap-fit lid instead of screws. Compare the two designs and merge the better lid back into this project.

Try a 4-layer stackup for this board on a separate copy. Merge it back if it removes the routing problems.

Flux shows each step in the chat:

The fork that Flux works in.
The comparison of the two designs.
A Merge Decision project document that records what Flux merged back and why.
A link to the copy of your design from before the merge.

To do it in the UI:

Fork the project with Flux menu → Fork Project.
Make the change in the fork.
Compare the fork with the original project.
Ask Flux to merge the change from the fork back into the original project.

Design variants

Create a low-power variant of this board with a different LDO. Keep the shared design elements in sync, then write a BOM for each version and a comparison table to the project files.

Create a prototype variant. Mark the optional sensor and debug connector as not placed. Keep the shared design elements in sync, then write a BOM for each version.

Ask Flux to make a second version of a design in a fork. Tell Flux what is different in the second version. Flux makes the changes in the fork, and your design does not change. Flux keeps the variants in sync as the shared design changes. Flux then writes a BOM for each version and a comparison table to the project files.

Fork this project into a Wi-Fi version. In the fork, add an ESP32-C3 module with a PCB antenna, keep the antenna area free of copper, and make the enclosure 8 mm longer so the antenna has clearance. Then write a BOM for each version and a comparison table of the two to the project files of this project.

Fork this board into a battery version. Add a LiPo charger and a JST battery connector, and make the enclosure 6 mm taller for the battery. Write a BOM for each version to the project files.

Fork this enclosure into an outdoor version with a gasket groove and M3 brass inserts. Keep the board the same. Write a comparison table of the two versions to the project files.

Make a low-cost version of this design in a fork. Use a 2-layer board instead of 4 layers and a snap-fit lid instead of screws. Write a BOM for each version and a cost comparison to the project files.

Flux gives you these results:

A fork with the second version of the electronics and the mechanical parts.
A BOM for each version in the Files tab.
A comparison table of the two versions in the Files tab.

To do it in the UI:

Fork the project with Flux menu → Fork Project.
Make the changes for the second version in the fork.
Open the Files tab and add a document for the BOM of each version.
Add a document with a comparison table of the two versions.

When to Clone Versus Fork

Whenever you find a publicly accessible project or part in the library, and you decide to duplicate the project, then you will need to decide whether to clone or fork the project.

If you want to maintain access to all earlier versions of the project in your duplicate version, then you should fork the project. This is a common option you would use when experimenting with an earlier version of a design. However, if you do not need to have access to the earlier versions of the duplicate project, then you should clone the project.

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