what is a fork?

[Rodrigo Santos]

The fork is a change in the algorithm rules of the "centralized" currency and aims to improve the Network Difficulty Adjustment Algorithm.
The new algorithm change expects to adjust the hashrate difficulty to reach an average block interval of 600 seconds.
That changes in the algorithm leads to a derivation of the main chain, and a new coin is created, in which one of the coins continues with the old algorithm, and the other one uses the new algorithm.
When the fork happens, the old coins will exist in both chains, leading to a doubling of coins.

[bright4mech]

The little knowledge, I know is the transaction made toward a project.

[SirLegendary]

A fork is when you take the source code of a project and then create a new one from it independently. To make it short, It's when you clone a project to make another one with some changes.

The term applies to cryptocurrency but it can be about a browser, an operating system etc.
For example, Qupzilla is a fork of Mozilla, Mozilla is a fork of Seamonkey. Kubuntu is a fork of Ubuntu, and so on. It's just a term in software engineering

As related to Bitcoin you can read this to understand better what it's about: https://blog.coinbase.com/what-is-a-bitcoin-fork-cba07fe73ef1

Would there be any copy right issues?
I don't even think that those laws are applicable here,but still I'm curious

Laws, really? There isn't any regulatщкы on cryptocurrencies market. The same situation is true for blockchain software...

[kahc]

A fork is when you take the source code of a project and then create a new one from it independently. To make it short, It's when you clone a project to make another one with some changes.

The term applies to cryptocurrency but it can be about a browser, an operating system etc.
For example, Qupzilla is a fork of Mozilla, Mozilla is a fork of Seamonkey. Kubuntu is a fork of Ubuntu, and so on. It's just a term in software engineering

As related to Bitcoin you can read this to understand better what it's about: https://blog.coinbase.com/what-is-a-bitcoin-fork-cba07fe73ef1

Would there be any copy right issues?
I don't even think that those laws are applicable here,but still I'm curious

Laws, really? There isn't any regulatщкы on cryptocurrencies market. The same situation is true for blockchain software...

There won't be any copy right issues.
When codes are uploaded to GitHub and set to public, you grant other GitHub users the right to fork your repository(aka clone your code).

[icochick]

isn't the BTC code patented technology?

[Eloisa]

I think there are 2 types of fork in my understanding. It can be a good or a bad thing. You should be looking for the reason for doing it. If it's really good for the project

[dertre]

The fork is a change in the algorithm rules of the "centralized" currency and aims to improve the Network Difficulty Adjustment Algorithm.
The new algorithm change expects to adjust the hashrate difficulty to reach an average block interval of 600 seconds.
That changes in the algorithm leads to a derivation of the main chain, and a new coin is created, in which one of the coins continues with the old algorithm, and the other one uses the new algorithm.
When the fork happens, the old coins will exist in both chains, leading to a doubling of coins.

Fork can be used for more then improving network difficulty or algorithm. It can increase or decrease coins, reverse transaction (move to a early date of the chain) and many more thing. That is the reason people don`t like forks...

[Majesty0109]

In the cryptocurrency world a fork is when a there is a change in the rules of the blockchain that the coin operates on or the nodes disagree on a historic transaction
There are 2 types, the hard fork and the soft pork.

[chathura]

Due to the upgrades in the crypto system, sometimes wild price fluctuations occurs. This phenomena is called a "FORK".

[SamsungZ]

I have recently seen many people discussing about bitcoin fork,and I literally have no idea on what it is.
No trolls please.

bitcoin fork is splitting the bitcoin, for example bitcoin split into BCH.

[smartass111]

I'd recommend free online course offered by Princeton University
https://www.coursera.org/learn/cryptocurrency/home/welcome

they have lessons about forks

[Bytem3]

Fork is a copy of an existing blockchain which continues to develop on its own. Here's a more detailed explanation: https://coincodex.com/article/45/what-is-a-hard-fork/

[TheAndy500]

http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/48517/cryptocurrency-what-is-a-fork/ First link in the google is one of the bests to just get know what it is about... Just read and search, thats the basics of crypto.

[X!]

http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/48517/cryptocurrency-what-is-a-fork/ First link in the google is one of the bests to just get know what it is about... Just read and search, thats the basics of crypto.

Agree with you. Fork references can be easily found just by googling it.
I think the most important thing related to fork is why it has to be so many forks those just will confuse people. I think it's like you wanna split from your main business but not have enough uniqueness to stand alone and grab its main marketshre, so you still use its identity partially to make it acceptable for market. ex bitcoin X, bitcoin Y, Z etc.

[Thepoint]

isn't the BTC code patented technology?

Nope,isn't patented technology is the opposite is open source that's why someone can do a fork maybe.

[vincentbeth934]

I am also new to altcoins doing a fork, regalcoin.co is doing a hardfork but I don't really know what it means. They have set 2 different type of coin on their website. You can convert your coins vice versa. The question I think, is the transaction safe?

[Si nenglon]

an object to tear flesh while we eat

[chathura]

A hard fork is when a single cryptocurrency splits in two. It occurs when a cryptocurrency’s existing code is changed, resulting in both an old and new version. Meanwhile a soft fork is essentially the same thing, but the idea is that only one blockchain (and thus one coin) will remain valid as users adopt the update. So both fork types create a split, but a hard fork is meant to create two blockchain/coins and a soft fork is meant to result in one. Segwit was a soft fork, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin Gold, and Segwit2x are all hard forks.

[mayo2u]

I think there are 2 types of fork in my understanding. It can be a good or a bad thing. You should be looking for the reason for doing it. If it's really good for the project

A fork is decision about how to move forward with a software project. The fork can make some things that used to be permissionable invalid and things that were invalid are now considered valid. This decision can be a good idea or a bad idea - but that's different. In general forks arrive when two sets of people disagree on the correct action. The solution is to take both actions.

It gets more involved than this - but this is a common issue in the software development world.

[gargavaar]

It looks to me like forking is quite the hassle in most cases. How does people agree which chain is going to be the legitimate one?