How does collaboration occur in a distributed version control system?

Collaboration in a distributed version control system occurs primarily through the use of remote repositories. This method allows multiple developers to work on their own local copies of the whole repository, enabling them to make changes independently and commit them locally. When developers are ready to share their changes with others, they can push their changes to a shared remote repository. Similarly, they can pull updates made by others from the remote repository to obtain the latest changes.

This decentralized approach fosters collaboration because it allows teams to work asynchronously, accommodating various workflows and giving developers the flexibility to experiment and innovate without disrupting a mainline development process. By leveraging remote repositories, teams can maintain a comprehensive history of the project while facilitating contributions from various locations and devices.

The other options, while they might have some relevance in certain contexts, do not encapsulate the essence of collaboration in distributed version control systems. For instance, restricting access to a single repository would limit collaboration rather than enhance it. Centralized management conflicts with the fundamental principles of distributed systems by assuming a single point of control, and avoiding forking negates the potential benefits of diverging development paths that can enhance collaboration through parallel exploration of different features or ideas.