Basic Git Series: Creating and Switching Branches

Overview

Branches allow you to work on different features or fixes simultaneously without affecting the main codebase. They’re essential for collaborative development.

Steps

Creating a New Branch

1. Ensure you’re in the right starting point (usually main/master branch)
2. Create a new branch and switch to it in one command:

git checkout -b new-branch-name

Switching Between Branches

git checkout branch-name

Listing All Branches

git branch

Creating Branches on GitHub

You can also create and switch branches directly on GitHub:

1. Navigate to the repository on GitHub
2. Click on the branch dropdown (shows the current branch, usually “main”)
3. Type a new branch name in the search box
4. Click “Create branch: [name] from ‘main’”

This creates the branch on GitHub, but you’ll need to pull it to your local repository to work with it.

Common Issues

• Cannot switch branches due to uncommitted changes: Commit or stash your changes before switching
• Branch already exists: Use a different name or delete the existing branch
• Missing remote branch: You may need to fetch the latest changes:

  git fetch origin
  git checkout branch-name
  

Additional Notes

• Use descriptive branch names that reflect the feature or fix
• Modern Git allows using git switch instead of git checkout for branch operations:

  git switch -c new-branch-name  # Create and switch
  git switch branch-name         # Just switch