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# Making your own copy (fork) of Matplotlib

You need to do this only once. The instructions here are very similar to the instructions at https://help.github.com/forking/ — please see that page for more detail. We’re repeating some of it here just to give the specifics for the Matplotlib project, and to suggest some default names.

## Set up and configure a github account

If you don’t have a github account, go to the github page, and make one.

You then need to configure your account to allow write access — see the `Generating SSH keys` help on github help.

## Create your own forked copy of Matplotlib

1. Log into your github account.

2. Go to the Matplotlib github home at Matplotlib github.

3. Click on the fork button:

   Now, after a short pause, you should find yourself at the home page for your own forked copy of Matplotlib.