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Git & Github: Branching and Merging

Branches

In the vast world of Git, branches are a cornerstone. They allow developers to work on different features or bug fixes simultaneously without affecting the main codebase. Think of branches as parallel universes where you can experiment without consequences.

To create a new branch:

git branch <branch-name>

To switch to a branch:

git checkout <branch-name>

Example

git branch feature-login
git checkout feature-login

Merge Branches

Once you've completed the work on a branch, you might want to integrate those changes into the main branch (often called the master or main branch). This process is called merging.

git checkout master
git merge <branch-name>

Example

git checkout master
git merge feature-login

Delete Branch

After merging, if you no longer need a branch, you can delete it to keep your repository organized.

git branch -d <branch-name>

Example

git branch -d feature-login

Merge Conflicts

Sometimes, when you try to merge branches, Git might get confused if changes in the two branches overlap. This results in a merge conflict. Git will highlight the problematic areas in your code. You'll need to manually resolve these conflicts by choosing which changes to keep.

Once resolved, you can continue the merge process:

git add .
git commit -m "Resolved merge conflicts"

Branching and merging are fundamental aspects of Git, enabling seamless collaboration and feature development. By understanding and mastering these concepts, you can ensure efficient and conflict-free code collaboration.

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