Why is git not the main branch?

In project development, Git is a very commonly used version control tool. In Git, branch is a crucial concept. It allows multiple parallel developments in the same code base and avoids conflicts and errors during development. In this article, we will learn how to use branches in Git and explain how to create and manage branches. At the same time, we will also discuss how to manage the master branch differently from other branches in Git.

What is a Branch

If you are not familiar with Git, branches can be a bit confusing. In Git, a "branch" can be thought of as a copy of a certain version of the current code base. When we make code changes in a branch, we do not affect the master branch, nor other branches. In this way, branches can help us organize parallel development and experimentation, and we can store under-tested code in branches to avoid adverse effects on the main code base.

For each new branch, there is a copy based on another branch (such as the master branch) and contains a complete copy of the code base like the original branch. You can then work on that branch, make any changes you want, and add those changes to the branch's history.

How to create a branch

To create a new branch, use the "git branch" command followed by the name of the new branch. So, to create a new branch called "new-feature", you can use the following command:

git branch new-feature

Let's break this command down. First, "git branch" is a command that tells Git you want to create a new branch. Next, we specify the name of the new branch - "new-feature". Git will then create a new branch named "new-feature" in the current code base.

However, by using this command, Git does not switch you to work in a new branch. If you want to switch your current working environment to a new branch, use Git's "git checkout" command, followed by the name of the branch:

git checkout new-feature

This command tells Git to switch to a branch named "new- feature" branch. After you successfully switch branches, you can perform any changes and commits in the new branch. Please note that the command "git branch" can also display all current branches.

git branch

How to Manage Branches

Now that you have created a new branch and switched to it, you can perform the required code changes and commits. Once the work in the branch is complete, you can merge it into the main branch or delete it. This is done with the following command:

Merge branch:

git merge new-feature

Delete branch:

git branch -d new-feature

Let’s parse these two commands.

For the "git merge" command, this command tells Git to merge the "new-feature" branch into the main branch. So once you've finished your work in the "new-feature" branch and you want to apply your changes to other branches of the code base, you just run this command and it's done.

For the "git branch -d" command, this command tells Git to delete the specified branch ("new-feature" in the above example). Use this command with caution because once you delete a branch, you will permanently lose the changes in that branch.

Manage the difference between the master branch and other branches

In Git, the master branch is usually called "master". This branch is the default branch of the code base and is the central hub and main code base commit generation of the code base. In smaller projects, all developers may work directly on the master branch and commit code changes to that branch.

However, in larger and more complex projects, you may need multiple branches to handle different development tasks or these branches will be associated with certain features or versions. For these projects, the master branch may be just one of all branches within a branch, and there may be more master branch versions depending on the situation. In addition, different branches have different naming conventions, such as "develop", "feature", "release" or "hotfix", etc., so that developers can more easily identify their intentions.

Summary

Git branch is a very important concept in Git. By using branches, we can work on multiple development tasks in parallel without impacting the main code base. When you create a new branch, be sure to carefully consider the changes you want to make, and whether the changes you edit need to be merged into the master branch. Therefore, when using Git for project development, a better understanding of the use of branches will be very important for writing code and avoiding avoidable mistakes.

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