Creating Branches

Branches let you work on different features or fixes in isolation.

What is a Branch?

A branch is simply a pointer to a commit. When you create a branch, Git creates a new pointer - it doesn't copy any files.

Viewing Branches

Creating Branches

Create a New Branch

git branch feature-login

Create and Switch

git checkout -b feature-login
# or (newer syntax)
git switch -c feature-login

Branch Commands

Command	Description
git branch	List local branches
git branch -a	List all (including remote)
git branch <name>	Create branch
git branch -d <name>	Delete branch
git branch -D <name>	Force delete branch
git branch -m <new>	Rename current branch

How Branches Work

         feature
            ↓
    A---B---C
   /
--o---o---o  main

Both main and feature are just pointers to commits.

Branch Naming Conventions

Good branch names:

• feature/user-authentication
• bugfix/login-error
• hotfix/security-patch
• release/v2.0

Avoid:

• my-branch
• test
• new

Best Practices

1. Keep branches focused: One feature per branch
2. Use descriptive names: feature/add-search not new-stuff
3. Delete merged branches: Keep repository clean
4. Branch from main: Start features from stable code

Exercise: Create a Branch

Create a new branch called feature: