How to clone a git repo?

0-2 years experience

1. 1You need to get the latest code from a new project. Walk me through the exact git command you would run and any flags you might add.
2. 2If the remote repository requires SSH keys, what steps would you take before cloning?
3. 3What happens if you try to clone a repository into a directory that already contains files?

2-5 years experience

1. 1Your team is adding a new feature and you only need the latest commit from a large repository. How would you clone it to minimize download size?
2. 2A colleague reports that cloning fails with 'remote: Repository not found'. How would you troubleshoot this error?
3. 3You need to clone a repo and set up the upstream remote for future pushes. Explain the steps and why they matter.

5-8 years experience

1. 1Our CI system clones many repositories for each build. What strategies would you employ to speed up cloning and reduce network load at scale?
2. 2We have a monorepo where different teams work on separate subdirectories. How would you configure cloning so teams can fetch only the parts they need?
3. 3When cloning a repository that contains submodules, what issues can arise and how would you ensure a reliable checkout in production pipelines?

8+ years experience

1. 1Our organization is moving from many small repos to a single monorepo. Discuss the implications for cloning strategies, bandwidth, and developer onboarding.
2. 2We need to support both SSH and HTTPS cloning for external contributors while maintaining security compliance. How would you design the authentication and access control workflow?
3. 3Legacy systems still use HTTP basic auth for git. How would you plan a migration to modern token‑based authentication without breaking existing automation?