Using a GitHub boilerplate while taking updates from source repository

Using a GitHub boilerplate effectively while also being able to incorporate updates from the source repository involves a few strategic steps:

1. Forking the Boilerplate- Start by forking the boilerplate repository. This creates a copy under your GitHub account, which you can modify as needed.

2. Cloning and Setting Up Remotes- Clone your fork to your local machine. Then, set up a remote to the original repository (often called the “upstream” repository). This allows you to fetch updates made to the original boilerplate.

 git clone [your-fork-url]
 cd [your-fork-repository]
 git remote add upstream [original-repository-url]

3. Branching Strategy- Create a new branch for your custom work. This makes it easier to keep your changes separate from the original boilerplate code, simplifying the process of merging updates.

 git checkout -b custom-feature
 

4. Regularly Fetch Updates- Periodically fetch changes from the upstream repository. This helps you stay up-to-date with the latest improvements or bug fixes.

 git fetch upstream
 git checkout main
 git merge upstream/main
 

5. Merging Updates Carefully- When you merge updates from the upstream, conflicts may arise with your customizations. Resolve these conflicts carefully to ensure that your modifications work well with the new updates.

6. Testing After Merging- After merging updates from the boilerplate, thoroughly test your application to make sure that the new changes haven’t broken your customizations.

7. Contributing Back- If you make general improvements or fixes that could benefit the original boilerplate, consider creating a pull request to the original repository. This helps the community and also may reduce future conflicts for you.

8. Documentation- Keep documentation of your customizations. This is especially helpful when merging updates from the boilerplate, as it can serve as a guide to understanding the impact of the changes.

9. Version Control Best Practices- Utilize version control best practices, like committing often with descriptive messages, to keep track of your changes efficiently.

By following the steps listed above, you can effectively customize a GitHub boilerplate while still benefiting from updates made to the original project. The key is to maintain a good balance between customizing and staying up-to-date with the source repository.