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A Git branch is a name pointing to a commit in the repository’s history—not a separate copy of your project. Create a branch to isolate a piece of work, commit changes there, then integrate it into the destination branch using your team’s review and merge process.
What a Git branch is
Git uses “branch” to describe a line of development; its branch name is a movable reference to the latest commit on that line. When you make a commit, Git advances the tip of the branch you currently have checked out. Git’s user manual explains this model and how branches relate to commit history.
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HEAD identifies the branch or commit currently checked out. In ordinary branch-based work, it points to the current branch, so new commits advance that branch’s tip. The project files in your working tree reflect the checked-out history; creating a branch does not duplicate the whole project.
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Use git switch for branch switching. It is focused on that task, unlike git checkout, which also has other uses. The Git switch manual documents the command’s behavior; check your installed version with git --version if you need to confirm support or details.
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git branch # list local branches
git branch --show-current # show the current branch
git switch -c feature-name # create and switch to a branch
git switch main # switch to main
git switch - # return to the previous branchgit branch new-name creates a branch at the current commit but leaves you on the current branch. Use git switch -c new-name when you want to create the branch and move to it in one operation. Git documents this combined operation as transactional: if switching fails, the new branch is not left created or reset. See the git-branch manual and git-switch manual.
A practical branch workflow
- Start from the right base. Switch to the branch your team uses as the starting point, then update it according to the team’s normal workflow.
- Create a focused branch. For example, run
git switch -c feature/short-description. The name is for people; the branch itself is a reference to the commit where you started. - Make and commit changes. Commits made while this branch is checked out advance its tip, keeping this line of work separate from other branch tips.
- Integrate the finished work. Follow the team’s review and integration process. At the command line,
git merge feature/short-descriptionmerges that branch into the branch currently checked out. Git may complete the integration automatically, or stop for conflict resolution. - Remove the local branch when appropriate. Once its work is integrated,
git branch -d feature/short-descriptionasks Git to delete it safely. Git refuses if it is not fully merged into its upstream or contained in the current history.
These commands describe Git mechanics, not a universal team policy. Teams may use merge commits, fast-forward merges, rebasing, pull requests, or other review gates. Agree on the project’s process rather than assuming one integration style fits every repository.
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Remote branches and tracking
A remote-tracking branch is a local reference recording the state of a branch on a remote the last time you fetched. It is not the live server branch, and switching to a local branch does not by itself fetch or synchronize remote changes.
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git branch -r # list remote-tracking branches
git fetch # update information from remotesWhen you create a local branch from a remote-tracking branch, Git normally configures it to track that branch as its upstream, which lets commands such as git pull use the relationship. This behavior depends on the branch.autoSetupMerge configuration; --track and --no-track let you choose for an individual branch. The git-branch manual describes the options.
Choosing a branch and integration approach
Short-lived feature branches or long-lived release branches
A short-lived feature branch isolates a specific change and is integrated when that work is ready. A long-lived release branch represents an ongoing release line that may need maintenance independent of newer development. Choose based on how isolated the work needs to be, how often it can be integrated, and whether the branch must remain a deployable release line. Git’s mechanics do not set a universally correct branch lifetime or naming scheme.
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Merge or rebase
Merge integrates another branch into the one currently checked out and can preserve the fact that work developed on separate lines. Teams may prefer a different history shape, such as a linear history, but the right choice depends on repository policy and whether commits have already been shared. Do not rebase shared work unless your team’s rules explicitly allow it; coordinate integration choices with collaborators.
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Use git switch when the task is changing branches: its scope makes the intent clear. git checkout remains documented and can switch branches, but it also handles other operations. The switch manual describes the focused command.
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Avoid losing changes or branch work
- Check whether branch creation switched you.
git branch new-namecreates a branch without switching; usegit branch --show-currentto check your location. - Protect uncommitted edits before switching. Git permits a switch when it can preserve the working tree, but aborts if switching would lose local changes unless you request discard or merge behavior. Treat
--discard-changesas destructive and use it only when you intend to discard edits. - Do not force-delete unfinished work casually.
git branch -d namechecks whether the branch is merged into its upstream or contained in the current history.git branch -D namebypasses that check and can remove the only branch reference to commits. - Expect that merges can need attention. Commit or stash relevant uncommitted changes before merging. If Git reports conflicts, resolve them and complete the merge before continuing; consult the Git user manual for merge mechanics.
Further reading
The free online Pro Git book by Scott Chacon and Ben Straub includes a Git Branching chapter. Its print edition, Pro Git, Second Edition, dates to 2014, so use the live Git manuals for current command documentation.
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