Understanding Git Branching and Merging

Category

Development Tools

Level

Intermediate

Number

Please refer to the previous blog posts titled "Demystifying Git: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding Version Control" (DAY39) and “GitHub: Linking Your Local Git Repository for Collaboration” (DAY40) for a clearer understanding before delving into this blog post.

Branches in Git → allow multiple users to work on the same codebase simultaneously by creating separate copies called branches.

Each branch can contain independent changes, such as new features or bug fixes. Changes made in branches are isolated until they're merged back into the main codebase.

Branching helps in organizing development efforts and maintaining code stability in collaborative projects.

by default our code is located in the → master branch

we can push all the changes in one branch to the master

information for each command related to branching and merging in Git:

git branch new-semo: This command creates a new branch named "new-semo" in your Git repository. Branches allow you to work on separate lines of development without affecting the main branch (usually master).
git checkout new-semo: This command switches your working directory to the "new-semo" branch. You'll now be working within the context of this branch.
git branch: This command lists all the available branches in your repository.

The * symbol in front of a branch name indicates that you are currently on that branch.

touch semo.py: Create a new file named "semo.py" in the current branch (new-semo in this case). This file will be specific to the "new-semo" branch and won't affect the master branch.
git add .: Stage all changes (including the new "semo.py" file) for commit.

This command prepares all modified and new files in the working directory for the next commit.

git commit -m "add a python file": Commit the staged changes to the current branch (new-semo). The descriptive message "add a python file" explains the changes made in this commit.
git log: View the commit history of the repository. This command will show the commits made in both the master and new-semo branches, providing details such as commit hash values, authors, dates, and commit messages.
git push origin new-semo: Push the changes and the new branch (new-semo) to the remote repository on GitHub (origin). This command publishes the "new-semo" branch and its associated commits to GitHub.
git pull origin master: Pull changes from the master branch of the remote repository (origin) to your local repository. This command ensures that your local master branch is up to date with the changes made in the remote master branch.
git merge new-semo: Merge the changes from the "new-semo" branch into the master branch. This command integrates the changes made in the "new-semo" branch back into the main branch (master), combining the histories of both branches.

Summary:

Branches in Git allow for parallel lines of development, enabling multiple features or fixes to be worked on independently without affecting the main branch (master).
Merging branches consolidates changes, integrating work from different branches (e.g., new-semo) back into the main branch (master), ensuring a cohesive project history.