# Cloning and local clones (/docs/guides/cloning-and-local-clones)

Choose where clones land, open them in your editor, pull them, and let gh-select recognize repositories you already cloned.

## Clone a repository [#clone-a-repository]

Press `enter` on a repository and choose **Clone**. A repository you have not cloned starts with **Clone** and **Clone & open**. One you already cloned starts with **Open in editor** and **Pull**, as in this screenshot:

![The action menu of a repository that is already cloned](/screens/actions.png)

## The clone directory [#the-clone-directory]

By default `git` clones into the current directory. Set a clone root and every new clone lands in `ROOT/REPO` instead.

```bash
export GH_SELECT_CLONE_DIR=~/dev
gh select -d ~/code      # one run, wins over the variable
```

A leading `~` is expanded even inside a quoted variable. The root is created when it does not exist. gh-select refuses to clone onto a folder that already exists, and prints `PATH already exists`.

## Clone actions [#clone-actions]

| Action            | What it runs                                                                     |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Clone**         | `git clone https://github.com/OWNER/REPO.git [DIR]`                              |
| **Clone & open**  | the clone, then your editor on the new folder                                    |
| **Clone branch…** | `git clone --branch BRANCH ...` for the branch you pick                          |
| **Browse files…** | a [partial clone](/docs/guides/browsing-and-partial-clone) of the paths you mark |

Git's progress prints to the terminal after the screen closes. In `--print-path` mode it goes to stderr so stdout stays clean.

## Repositories you already cloned [#repositories-you-already-cloned]

gh-select scans for working copies and tags matching repositories `local`. The details block shows the path, and `is:local` filters the list to them. See [how it works](/docs/how-it-works#local-clones) for what the scan reads and skips.

A cloned repository's action menu changes. Instead of a clone that would fail or duplicate it, it leads with:

| Action             | Effect                                  |
| ------------------ | --------------------------------------- |
| **Open in editor** | opens the local clone                   |
| **Pull**           | `git pull --ff-only` in the local clone |
| **Clone again**    | a second, separate copy                 |

### Where to search [#where-to-search]

The scan covers more than the clone root. In order of preference:

1. Each directory in `GH_SELECT_SCAN_DIRS`, five levels deep.
2. The clone directory, two levels deep.
3. The current directory, two levels deep.
4. Your home directory, five levels deep.

```bash
export GH_SELECT_SCAN_DIRS=~/work:~/oss
```

The list is separated like `PATH`, with `:` on Unix and `;` on Windows. Setting it never hides clones the built-in roots would have found.

## Your editor [#your-editor]

**Open in editor** and **Clone & open** use the first of these that is set:

1. `$VISUAL`
2. `$EDITOR`, which may include flags, as in `code -w`
3. The first of `cursor`, `code`, `zed`, `nvim`, `vim` and `nano` found on `PATH`

The editor inherits your terminal, so terminal editors work, and gh-select returns when you quit them. With none available, the action fails with `no editor found, set $EDITOR`.

## Copy and open [#copy-and-open]

| Action              | Effect                              |
| ------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| **Copy name**       | `owner/repo` to the clipboard       |
| **Copy URL**        | the https link to the clipboard     |
| **Open in browser** | the repository page on github.com   |
| **View README**     | the README rendered in the terminal |

Without a clipboard tool, the value is printed with `(clipboard not available)` instead. Install `wl-clipboard`, `xclip` or `xsel` on Linux.