Fork
a.k.a. Chain split
A change to a blockchain's rules, or a split where one chain becomes two that share the same past.
A fork happens when a blockchain's rules change, or when part of the network starts following different rules from the rest. Picture a road dividing: both branches share every mile behind them.
A soft fork tightens the rules in a way old software still accepts, so the chain usually stays in one piece. A hard fork changes the rules so old software rejects the new blocks. If everyone upgrades, it's just an upgrade; if the community disagrees, you can end up with two separate coins, as when Bitcoin Cash split off from Bitcoin.
Developers also "fork" code in the open-source sense: copying a project to build their own version. PancakeSwap started as a fork of Uniswap's design.
Keep this word for good
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