Branches - Basics

Git branch - Workflow abstract png.png

What is a Branch?

A branch in Git is basically a separate line of development.
You can work on new features or fixes without touching the main codebase

Think of it as:
“I’ll create a copy of the project at this point in time and make changes there, so the main branch stays safe.”
Git Branch - What it is.png

A typical Branch workflow looks like..

  1. You create a branch for a new feature or bugfix.
  2. You make commits only in that branch.
  3. You push it to GitHub.
  4. Later, you can merge it back into main through a Pull Request.

Terminal - Git Branch - Flow Diagram simplified.png.png

This ensures that experiments or changes don’t break the stable version!

Tip

Use branch naming conventions like feature/add-login, bugfix/fix-validation, or hotfix/security-patch.
This makes collaboration and tracking much clearer.

Why it’s useful

A branch is really just a safe workspace:

“I want to try something new without messing up main.”

  • Keeps main clean and stable.
  • Makes it easy to test ideas or fix issues independently.
  • Supports parallel teamwork (multiple devs working on different features at the same time).
  • Provides a history of changes tied to each feature or fix.

Git branch - Benefits.png

Common Branch Types

  • main → always the stable production-ready code
  • feature branches → for new features
  • bugfix branches → to solve bugs
  • hotfix branches → urgent fixes on main (sometimes merged with bugfix)
  • develop branch (optional) → staging ground before merging into main

Git Branch - Workflow.png

Step by Step - Guide

Prerequisites

  • Git installed locally
  • A GitHub Repository
  • Basic Git Knowledge
Example

#1 Creating and Switching Branches

  1. Create a new branch

     git branch new-feature

  2. Switch to it

     git checkout new-feature

  3. Work on your code and commit changes

    git add .
git commit -m "Add new feature"

  4. Push to GitHub

    git push -u origin new-feature
Create new branch & Switch: Shortcut

git checkout -b new-feature creates + switches branch

Example

#2 Viewing and Managing Branches

  • Show all branches: 
    $ git branch
  • Delete a local branch: 
    $ git branch -d branch-name
  • Delete a remote branch: 
    $ git push origin --delete branch-name
Warning

When working in a team, creating a branch locally does not make it visible to others.
If Person A creates a branch called feature/test-A and pushes it,
Person B won’t see it until they fetch the latest changes.

To view all branches (both local and remote), run: 

git branch -a

Now what?

Success

YOU GOT IT!
Play around with creating, switching, and deleting branches to get comfortable.
Combine this with Pull Requests and Issues to create a professional Git workflow.

Branch - Documentation

Documentation

Read more about Branches at Git’s official documentation: https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Branching-Branches-in-a-Nutshell

Finished

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