A fork is a tool with a handle and several pointed prongs used to hold or lift food. As a verb, it can mean to divide into two branches, like a path that splits.
From Old English “forca” and Latin “furca” meaning “two‑pronged tool” or “pitchfork.” The idea of branching came from the shape of its prongs.
The same idea of ‘forking’ appears in technology: in software, a ‘fork’ is when one project splits into two separate versions. Once you start noticing the fork shape—one stem, two paths—you’ll see it in roads, rivers, family trees, and even story choices in games.
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