Creating branches in Git is a fundamental skill for any developer. Branches allow you to work on different features, bug fixes, or experiments in isolation from the main codebase. This way, you can keep your main branch stable while making changes on separate branches. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of creating and managing branches in Git.

Prerequisites

• Understanding of Version Controlling System
• GIT installed on the system

What is a Git Branch?

A Git branch is a movable pointer to one of your commits. The default branch name in Git is main. When you start making commits, you’re working on the main branch. Branches in Git are lightweight, making branching operations nearly instantaneous and switching back and forth between branches easy.

Why Use Branches?

• Isolation: Work on features or fixes independently.
• Collaboration: Multiple developers can work on the same project simultaneously.
• Organization: Keep your development process clean and organized.

Creating a Branch Locally Using the Command Line

This approach involves using the command line interface to create a new branch in your local Git repository. It’s a straightforward method preferred by many developers for its simplicity and efficiency.

Syntax:

git checkout -b <branch-name>

Example: Creating a New Feature Branch

In this example, we’ll create a new branch named “feature-new” to work on a new feature for our project.

You can use the combined command git checkout -b <branch-name>, which creates a new branch and switches to it in one step.

git checkout -b feature-new

git branch

Creating branches in Git offers flexibility and organization to your development workflow. Whether you prefer the command line or graphical interfaces, Git provides various methods to create branches according to your preferences and workflow.