code: def clone(git_uri):
      
      hash_digest = sha256_hash(git_uri)
      local_path = home_directory_path(FOLDER, hash_digest)
      exists_locally = path_exists(local_path)
  
      if not exists_locally:
          _clone_repo(git_uri, local_path)
      else:
          logging.info(  # pragma: no cover
              "Git repository already exists locally.")  # pragma: no cover
  
      return local_path
docs: Clone a remote git repository to a local path.
  
      :param git_uri: the URI to the git repository to be cloned
      :return: the generated local path where the repository has been cloned to