Branches: Experiment Without Breaking Things

A branch is a parallel line of history. The default branch — usually main — is the stable version. A new branch is a safe sandbox: experiment freely; main never notices until you merge.

The workflow

git branch about-page        # create a branch named about-page
git switch about-page        # move onto it (git switch -c about-page = both steps)
...edit files, add, commit...
git switch main              # back to the stable line
git merge about-page         # bring the branch's work into main

While on about-page, commits land on that branch. main stays untouched — that is the entire point.

Resolving a basic conflict

A conflict happens when two branches change the same lines. Git marks the collision in the file itself:

<<<<<<< HEAD
Welcome to my site
=======
Welcome — come on in
>>>>>>> about-page

You resolve it by editing the file to the version you want (or a blend), removing the <<<<<<< markers, then git add + git commit. Conflicts are not errors — they are Git asking you to make a decision it refuses to guess.

Real habits

• One branch per idea or feature; short-lived branches merge cleanly
• Never commit straight to main in a team repo — branch, even alone, for practice
• git branch lists branches; git log --oneline --all shows every line

What you learned

• git branch/git switch create and enter sandboxes
• Merge brings completed work back into main
• Conflicts are decisions, not failures — edit, add, commit

Next: taking your repositories online — GitHub.