# Why "Kernel#fork" on windows

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/why-kernel-fork-on-windows/118065>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [October 23, 2007, 6:04pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/why-kernel-fork-on-windows/118065 "2007-10-23T18:04:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![goal1860](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/6a8cbe/32.png) [@goal1860](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/goal1860)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 6:04pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/why-kernel-fork-on-windows/118065/1 "2007-10-23T18:04:23Z")

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Kernel methods are usually able to be called directly, like gets, gsub,  
binding, etc. But why “fork” is not recognized? Instead only  
“Kernel#fork” is awared by interpreter?

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**Author:** ![goal1860](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/6a8cbe/32.png) [@goal1860](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/goal1860)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 6:21pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/why-kernel-fork-on-windows/118065/2 "2007-10-23T18:21:07Z")

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On Oct 23, 7:04 pm, Liang He [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> ## Kernel methods are usually able to be called directly, like gets, gsub, binding, etc. But why “fork” is not recognized? Instead only “Kernel#fork” is awared by interpreter?
> 
> Posted viahttp://www.ruby-forum.com/.

Windows does not support fork, hence Ruby on Windows does not support  
it either.

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**Author:** ![goal1860](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/6a8cbe/32.png) [@goal1860](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/goal1860)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/why-kernel-fork-on-windows/118065/3 "2007-10-23T18:31:42Z")

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On 23.10.2007 18:16, Vasyl S. wrote:

> On Oct 23, 7:04 pm, Liang He [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:
> 
> > ## Kernel methods are usually able to be called directly, like gets, gsub, binding, etc. But why “fork” is not recognized? Instead only “Kernel#fork” is awared by interpreter?
> > 
> > Posted viahttp://www.ruby-forum.com/.
> 
> Windows does not support fork, hence Ruby on Windows does not support  
> it either.

… unless of course you are on cygwin. 🙂

robert