<p>Note that Fossil allows you to make multiple check-outs in
    separate directories from the same repository.  This enables you,
    for example, to do builds from multiple branches or versions at 
    the same time without having to generate extra clones.</p>

    <p>To switch a checkout between different versions and branches,
    use:</p>

    <blockquote>
    <b>[/help/update | fossil update]</b><br>
    <b>[/help/checkout | fossil checkout]</b><br>
    </blockquote>

    <p>The [/help/checkout | checkout] or [/help/update | update]
    commands. [/help/update | update] honors the "autosync" option
    and does a "soft" switch, merging any local changes into the
    target version, whereas [/help/checkout | checkout] does not
    sync and does a "hard" switch, potentially overwriting local
    changes (after prompting).</p>

<h2>Configuring Your Local Repository</h2>

    <p>The default behavior is for [./concepts.wiki#workflow|autosync] to
    be turned on.  That means that a [/help/pull|pull] automatically occurs
    when you run [/help/update|update] and a [/help/push|push] happens 
    automatically after you [/help/commit|commit].  So in normal practice,
    the push, pull, and sync commands are rarely used.  But it is important
    to know about them, all the same.</p>

    <blockquote>
    <b>[/help/checkout | fossil checkout]</b> <i>VERSION</i>
    </blockquote>

    <p>Is similar to update except that it does not honor the autosync
    setting, nor does it merge in local changes - it prefers to overwrite
    them and fails if local changes exist unless the <tt>--force</tt>
    flag is used.</p>

<h2>Branching And Merging</h2>

    <p>Use the --branch option to the [/help/commit | commit] command
    to start a new branch.  Note that in Fossil, branches are normally
    created when you commit, not before you start editing.  You can
    use the [/help/branch | branch new] command to create a new branch
    before you start editing, if you want, but most people just wait