World map

 

BM

World 3: Parallel Universes

Make and switch branches

You will learn: how to hop onto a branch, and make one in one step.

The problem

You made a dark-mode note. But the star is still on main. How do you hop over?

Watch

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git switch dark-mode moves HEAD onto that note. Your new commits now go on dark-mode. main stays safe.

Try it

Hop onto the dark-mode branch.

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Watch

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In a hurry? git switch -c about makes a new note and hops on. Two steps in one.

Try it

Two branches grew apart. Think of them as two universes. Hop into each one and watch your files.

Tap a lane, or pick a universe below. Watch the files change.

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Universes (branches). Arrow keys switch too.

Your folder in the main universe

  • README.md
  • index.html
  • style.css

index.html

<h1>My Diary</h1>
<p>Day 1: I learned Git.</p>
<p>Day 2: I learned branches.</p>

Predict

You are on about. You switch to main. What happens to about.html in your folder?

Try it

Make a branch called contact and hop onto it, with one command.

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You did it!

You can now make branches and hop between them.

Go deeper (optional)

git switch - hops back to the branch you were on. Changed files but didn’t commit? Git carries them along when it is safe. If a change would get lost, Git stops and tells you. Lesson 9 shows the fix: stash.