Git Clone Operation: Copying a Project from a Remote Repository to the Local Machine

This article introduces the Git clone operation, which is used to completely copy a remote repository project to the local machine. The core steps are as follows: **Prereparations**: First, install Git, configure your identity (`git config --global user.name/email`), and obtain the remote repository address (in HTTPS or SSH format). **Performing the Clone**: Use the command `git clone [remote URL] [local folder name]`. By default, a folder with the same name as the repository is created, and you can also customize the local name (e.g., `git clone [URL] my-project`). **After Clone**: The local machine will contain all project files and branch structures. The remote repository is by default marked as "origin", which can be verified using `git remote -v`. **Common Issues**: For permission/address errors, check the address or permissions. If the speed is slow, SSH is recommended. To clone only a specific branch, use the `-b` parameter (e.g., `-b dev`). To avoid entering passwords: use `credential.helper` for HTTPS, or configure SSH keys. Cloning is the first step in Git usage. Once mastered, you can develop locally and push/pull updates.