---
title: "Fork"
description: "A new box started from a snapshot of another, with the same memory and disk at that moment."
term:
  id: "fork"
  forms: ["fork","forks"]
  source: docs
  status: proposed
generated: scripts/generate.ts
verified:
  cli: "0.0.0-mock"
  date: "2026-10-20"
---

> **fork**: A new box started from a snapshot of another, with the same memory and disk at that moment.

## How many forks a task holds

One task holds up to 1,000 forks. A larger `--count` is an error that says the limit; Vakna never cuts the count for you.

## What a fork costs to start

A fork starts from memory, not from a cold boot, so it costs no install and no warm-up. Each fork's start time is on the receipt.

```sh
$ vakna fork api --count 50 -- go test ./...
```

```prints
snapshot snp_eu1a_z7a8b9c0 taken 0.19s
forked api ×50 from snapshot · 0.34s each
task prove-flaky-retry tsk_eu1a_0k1m2n3p
ran go test ./... in 50 boxes · 42 exit 0, 8 failed 2m 11s
errors: 2 signatures
  assertion in retry_test.go:88 ×6
  timeout after 30s ×2
receipt: prove-flaky-retry · 50 boxes · 8 failed · 2m 11s · $0.46 · mocked
```