How to fix "Repository is X commits ahead of [origin]"

[Z3DT]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Question

Body

Hello Github,

I'd like to preface this with the following:

• I am not a programmer.
• I'm using the Github Desktop app on Windows. I've seen a bunch of tutorials that are using command line but I have no idea how to use any of that and would very much prefer to stick with the desktop app if possible.
• I am very new at using Github.

I've got one repository that I forked off of someone to help with fixing some small issues. I'm not great at code, but I'd recognized some oversights that I offered to fix and I did. I have, however, absolutely no idea how Github works. The forked Repo now says that I'm 7 commits ahead of the repo I forked it off of. I'd like that error not to be there, but I can't find a way to sync my fork with the original fork again so that it's not ahead anymore. I've looked around and saw some tutorials that mention rebasing, but because my fork is not behind it's now allowing me to do that.

I'd very much like to not have to delete and re-fork the repo if I can since that removes contributor attributions. Can anyone please tell me what I can do to fix it and prevent it in the future? When explaining, assume I know absolutely nothing about this, because I don't.

[dohyeon5626]

This is not an error — it simply means your fork contains 7 commits that are not in the original repository yet.

When you fork a repository on GitHub
, you create your own copy. Any commits you make exist only in your fork until they are merged into the original project. So seeing “7 commits ahead” is completely normal if you have made changes.

If your goal is to contribute those fixes, the next step is to open a Pull Request from your fork to the original repository. Once the repository owner reviews and merges your Pull Request, your fork and the original repository will be in sync again, and the “ahead” message will disappear.

If you do not want to keep those 7 commits, you can discard them and reset your fork to match the original repository. On GitHub
, go to your fork and use Sync fork. If your fork is only ahead (and not behind), GitHub will offer an option to discard those commits.

To prevent confusion in the future, it helps to remember that “ahead” is not a problem to fix. It simply indicates that your fork contains commits that have not yet been merged upstream. This is the normal state whenever you make changes in your own fork.

So in your case, if those 7 commits are the fixes you intended to contribute, everything is working as expected and you should create a Pull Request rather than trying to remove the message.

[Z3DT]

If you do not want to keep those 7 commits, you can discard them and reset your fork to match the original repository. On GitHub
, go to your fork and use Sync fork. If your fork is only ahead (and not behind), GitHub will offer an option to discard those commits.

@dohyeon5626 It is not offering me that option.

[dohyeon5626]

@Z3DT This is not an error.

7 commits ahead simply means that your fork contains 7 commits that have not been merged into the original repository yet. In other words, you have made 7 commits in your fork, and the upstream repository does not have those changes.

The message This branch is not behind the upstream means your fork already includes all of the latest changes from the original repository, so there is nothing to sync from upstream.

If these 7 commits are the fixes you intended to contribute, everything is working as expected. The next step is to click Contribute and open a Pull Request.

If you no longer want to keep those changes, you can discard the 7 commits and reset your fork to match the original repository.

[Z3DT]

If these 7 commits are the fixes you intended to contribute, everything is working as expected. The next step is to click Contribute and open a Pull Request.

If you no longer want to keep those changes, you can discard the 7 commits and reset your fork to match the original repository.

As I told you, @dohyeon5626 , it's not offering me the option to discard the 7 commits.

[dohyeon5626]

If these 7 commits are the changes you intended to contribute, you do not need to remove them.

To submit your changes to the original repository, follow these steps:

1. Go to your fork on GitHub.
2. In the top-right corner of the page, click Contribute.
3. Select Open Pull Request.
4. Review the list of changes and make sure everything looks correct.
5. Click Create Pull Request.
6. Add a title and description explaining what you changed.
7. Click Create Pull Request again to submit it.

This will send your 7 commits to the original repository, where the repository owner can review and merge them.

Once the Pull Request is merged:

The same 7 commits will be added to the original repository.
Your fork and the original repository will be in sync.
The "7 commits ahead" message will disappear.

So in your case, everything is working exactly as expected. The "7 commits ahead" message is not an error—it simply means your fork contains changes that have not been merged into the original repository yet.

[Z3DT]

I know how to create pull requests and merge things into the original repository. I don't want to do that. I want to discard the changes so that my fork is once again 100% exactly synced with the original repository.

I thought that after mentioning twice that Github doesn't let me discard the changes it would be clear that that is what I'm actively trying to do.

[dohyeon5626]

@Z3DT

To remove the 7 commits and make your fork match the original repository again, open the repository in GitHub Desktop and do the following:

1. Open the History tab.
2. Right-click the commit just before your 7 commits.
3. Select Reset to commit.
4. Click Push origin.

GitHub Desktop will update your fork on GitHub and remove those 7 commits.

After that, your fork will be exactly the same as the original repository again, and the "7 commits ahead" message will disappear.

[serprathamsharma]

This is normal and not an error.

Your fork is “7 commits ahead” because you made 7 changes that do not exist in the original repository yet. That is exactly how forks are supposed to work when you contribute fixes.

You do not need to delete or re-fork the repository.

The usual next step is to create a Pull Request so the original repository owner can review and merge your changes. Once merged, your fork will usually sync up again.

You can safely ignore rebasing for now, especially if you are only using GitHub Desktop and are new to GitHub.

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