Branching Basics

Branches are Git's killer feature. They let you work on different things simultaneously without affecting each other.

What is a Branch?

A branch is simply a pointer to a commit. When you create a new branch, you're creating a new timeline that can diverge from the main one.

Think of it like a "choose your own adventure" book - at any point, you can take a different path!

The Main Branch

When you create a repository, Git creates a default branch called main (or master in older repos). This is typically your primary timeline.

Creating a Branch

To create a new branch:

git branch feature-login

This creates a new branch pointing to your current commit, but doesn't switch to it.

Switching Branches

To move to a different branch:

git switch feature-login

Or create and switch in one command:

git switch -c feature-login

Understanding HEAD

      main
        │
        ▼
  ○──○──○──○  (HEAD)
        │
        └──○──○  feature-login

When HEAD points to main, any new commits will be added to the main branch.

Branch Workflow

A typical workflow looks like this:

• Create a branch for your new feature
• Switch to that branch
• Make commits on the feature branch
• Switch back to main when done
• Merge your feature (next lesson!)

Try It Out!

Use the interactive visualizer to experiment with branches.

Watch how the graph changes as you create branches and make commits!