If you ever talk to a great programmer, you'll find they know their tools like an artist knows their paintbrushes.
\n\n-Bill Gates
\nThis tutorial details a step-by-step strategy to enhance your development workflow called git branching.
Branching is often referred to as the \"killer feature\" of Git. Let's explore why in the following section, the Purpose of Branching.
Successful teams follow three rules to integrate git into their daily workflow:
origin/main always works.The commands we'll be running in each step are listed below for your future reference. Save it in your notes!
$ cd ~/dev/repos/\n$ git clone git@github.com:YOUR_USERNAME/git-branchy.git\n$ cd git-branchy\n$ git pull origin main\n$ git checkout -b develop\n$ git add .\n$ git commit -m \"[add] code from step 5 of sweet git tutorial\"\n$ git pull origin main\n$ git push origin develop\n$ git checkout main\n$ git pull origin main\n$ git merge develop\n$ git add .\n$ git commit -m \"[add] merge the develop branch\"\n$ git push origin main\n\n
Sold? Let's try it out! Follow the step-by-step guide below to create and push your own branch to GitHub!
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tNTQxOQ==","title":"Step 1 - Create a New GitHub Repository","htmlContent":"\nFirst, create a new GitHub repository to serve as a playground for this tutorial. Call it git-branchy. Initialize the repo with a README file.
\nOn your local machine, cd to the project directory. In git, this is known as your working directory, which was created when you executed git clone at the beginning of the project. Clone the remote repository you made in Step 1.
$ cd ~/dev/repos\n$ git clone git@github.com:YOUR_USERNAME/git-branchy.git\n\nCloning into 'git-branchy'...\nremote: Enumerating objects: 233, done.\nremote: Counting objects: 100% (233/233), done.\nremote: Compressing objects: 100% (158/158), done.\nremote: Total 233 (delta 120), reused 173 (delta 62), pack-reused 0\nReceiving objects: 100% (233/233), 35.28 KiB | 5.04 MiB/s, done.\nResolving deltas: 100% (120/120), done.\n\n
\nUpdate your local repository with the latest revision of the origin/main branch.
$ git pull origin main\n\nremote: Counting objects: 6, done.\nremote: Total 6 (delta 2), reused 2 (delta 2), pack-reused 4\nUnpacking objects: 100% (6/6), done.\nFrom ssh://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/git-branchy\nbranch main -> FETCH_HEAD\n383e9d7..7766d57 main -> origin/main\nUpdating 383e9d7..7766d57\nFast-forward\nREADME.md | 25 ++++++++++++++++++-------\n1 file changed, 18 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)\n\n
Now that your local main branch is up-to-date with your team's latest changes, create a branch locally by running the exact command below. There are other ways to do this, but this one is foolproof.
The syntax below creates a new branch named develop based on an existing branch, main.
\nRun the following command to create the develop branch locally:
$ git checkout -b develop\n\n
Write that fancy new feature, fix that bug, experiment; it's showtime!
\nCreate a new file. Add some code. We trust you --- you've been doing this a while! For example, I added a file named test.js to my directory.
Once complete, run the following commands to add and commit your changeset to your local repository.
\n$ git add .\n$ git commit -m \"[add] code from step 5 of sweet git tutorial\"\n\n\nIntegrate upstream changes from origin/main, which adds them to our local branch.
$ git pull origin main\n\nFrom ssh://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/git-branchy\n * branch main -> FETCH_HEAD\nAlready up-to-date.\n\n
\nPush your new branch, as well as your changeset, to origin/develop.
$ git push origin develop\n\nCounting objects: 16, done.\nDelta compression using up to 4 threads.\nCompressing objects: 100% (16/16), done.\nWriting objects: 100% (16/16), 1.49 KiB | 1.49 MiB/s, done.\nTotal 16 (delta 14), reused 0 (delta 0)\nremote: Resolving deltas: 100% (14/14), completed with 14 local objects.\nTo ssh://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/git-branchy.git\n[new branch] 'develop' -> 'develop'\n\n
This branch is now available on your origin – simply open up GitHub (or GitLab, Heroku, Bitbucket, etc) to verify!
Once complete, it's a good idea to ask a friend or colleague to review your code.
Once your code is bug-free and release-ready, merge it to the main branch.
\nRepeat this process each time you finish a part of the feature or need to take a break. Branches are considered works in progress – so commit and push to your branche(s) as much as possible; even if it's not done! If something goes terribly wrong, origin/develop serves as a history, backup, and record of your valuable work!
Ready for primetime? Proceed to the next page to learn how to merge your code into the origin/main branch on GitHub.
Talk is cheap, show me the code!
\n\n-Linus Torvalds
\nReady to merge to origin/main?
Let's make it happen using the following three step process!
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tNTM1MQ==","title":"Step 1 - Move to Main Branch","htmlContent":"\nIn your local repository directory, run the following command to switch to the main branch.
$ git checkout main\n\nSwitched to branch 'main'\n\n\nPull the latest changes from origin/main, integrating the changesets into your local repository.
$ git pull origin main\n\nFrom github.com:YOUR_USERNAME/git-branchy\n* branch main -> FETCH_HEAD\nAlready up to date.\n\n
\nLet's merge by running the command below!
\n$ git merge develop\n\nMerge made by the 'recursive' strategy.\ntest.js | 0\n1 files changed, 1 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)\ncreate mode 100644 test.js\n\n
\nAdd or stage your changes, commit them, and push them to GitHub.
\n$ git add .\n$ git commit -m \"[add] merge the develop branch\"\n$ git push origin main\n\nWe've practiced what to do in successful merge scenarios. Awesome! But what happens when things go awry? Follow the next step of the tutorial to practice how to deal with merge conflicts!
"}]},"next":{"id":"T0E6OlBhZ2UtMTM1OA==","slug":"conflicts","title":"Coping with Conflicts"},"previous":{"id":"T0E6OlBhZ2UtMTM1OA==","slug":"conflicts","title":"Coping with Conflicts"}},{"id":"T0E6OlBhZ2UtMTM1OA==","title":"Coping with Conflicts","slug":"conflicts","sections":{"nodes":[{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tNTM1Ng==","title":"Coping with Conflicts","htmlContent":"Don’t worry if it doesn’t work right. If everything did, you’d be out of a job.
\n\n-Mosher’s Law of Software Engineering
\nLet's practice what to do when your branch doesn't merge flawlessly with main.
In order to explore merge conflicts, we'll need to generate one in your repository!
\nCreate a new file in the root of the repository named make-conflict.sh, and ensure it can run using the chmod utility.
$ touch make-conflict.sh\n$ chmod +x make-conflict.sh\n\n
[action]\nPaste the following code inside make-conflict.sh and save the file.
touch my_code.sh\ngit add my_code.sh\necho \"echo Hello\" > my_code.sh\ngit commit -am 'initial'\ngit checkout -b new_branch\necho \"echo \\\"Hello World\\\"\" > my_code.sh\ngit commit -am 'first commit on new_branch'\ngit checkout main\necho \"echo \\\"Hello World!\\\"\" > my_code.sh\ngit commit -am 'second commit on main'\ngit merge new_branch\n\n
[action]\nRun the script using the command below. Examine the last two lines of output. What happened?
\n$ ./make-conflict.sh\n\n[main (root-commit) cc780d8] initial\n 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)\n create mode 100644 my_code.sh\nSwitched to a new branch 'new_branch'\n[new_branch 3cb9aa2] first commit on new_branch\n 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)\nSwitched to branch 'main'\n[main 20700cb] second commit on main\n 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)\nAuto-merging my_code.sh\nCONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in my_code.sh\nAutomatic merge failed; fix conflicts and then commit the result.\n\n
Git wasn't able to merge the changeset automatically!
It needs your help in order to rectify the changeset.
Next, let's learn how to inform Git about the changes we want to keep, and the changes we want to discard.
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tNTM1OA==","title":"Step 2 - Viewing the Conflict","htmlContent":"\nTo see the beginning of the merge conflict in your file, open my_code.sh in your editor and search the file for the conflict marker <<<<<<<.
<<<<<<< HEAD\necho \"Hello World!\"\n=======\necho \"Hello World\"\n>>>>>> new_branch\n\n
When you open the file in your text editor, you'll see the changes from the HEAD or base branch after the line <<<<<<< HEAD.
Next, you'll see =======, which divides your changes from the changes in the other branch, followed by >>>>>>> new_branch, the branch we attempted to merge into main.
\nDecide if you want to keep only your branch's changes, keep only the other branch's changes, or make a brand new change, which may incorporate changes from both branches.
\n\nDelete the conflict markers <<<<<<<, =======, >>>>>>> and make the changes you want in the final merge.
In this example, both changes are incorporated into the final merge.
\n\nHere's what the my_code.sh file looks like in it's final form:
Hello World\n\n
\nAdd or stage your changes, commit them, and finally, perform your last push to GitHub.
\n$ git add .\n$ git commit -m \"[fix] merge conflict\"\n$ git push origin main\n\nWay to level up your Git skills --- you're ready to handle branches, merges, and conflicts in your day-to-day projects!
"}]},"next":null,"previous":null}]}},"page":{"id":"T0E6OlBhZ2UtMTM1OA==","title":"Coping with Conflicts","slug":"conflicts","sections":{"nodes":[{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tNTM1Ng==","title":"Coping with Conflicts","htmlContent":"Don’t worry if it doesn’t work right. If everything did, you’d be out of a job.
\n\n-Mosher’s Law of Software Engineering
\nLet's practice what to do when your branch doesn't merge flawlessly with main.
In order to explore merge conflicts, we'll need to generate one in your repository!
\nCreate a new file in the root of the repository named make-conflict.sh, and ensure it can run using the chmod utility.
$ touch make-conflict.sh\n$ chmod +x make-conflict.sh\n\n
[action]\nPaste the following code inside make-conflict.sh and save the file.
touch my_code.sh\ngit add my_code.sh\necho \"echo Hello\" > my_code.sh\ngit commit -am 'initial'\ngit checkout -b new_branch\necho \"echo \\\"Hello World\\\"\" > my_code.sh\ngit commit -am 'first commit on new_branch'\ngit checkout main\necho \"echo \\\"Hello World!\\\"\" > my_code.sh\ngit commit -am 'second commit on main'\ngit merge new_branch\n\n
[action]\nRun the script using the command below. Examine the last two lines of output. What happened?
\n$ ./make-conflict.sh\n\n[main (root-commit) cc780d8] initial\n 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)\n create mode 100644 my_code.sh\nSwitched to a new branch 'new_branch'\n[new_branch 3cb9aa2] first commit on new_branch\n 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)\nSwitched to branch 'main'\n[main 20700cb] second commit on main\n 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)\nAuto-merging my_code.sh\nCONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in my_code.sh\nAutomatic merge failed; fix conflicts and then commit the result.\n\n
Git wasn't able to merge the changeset automatically!
It needs your help in order to rectify the changeset.
Next, let's learn how to inform Git about the changes we want to keep, and the changes we want to discard.
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tNTM1OA==","title":"Step 2 - Viewing the Conflict","htmlContent":"\nTo see the beginning of the merge conflict in your file, open my_code.sh in your editor and search the file for the conflict marker <<<<<<<.
<<<<<<< HEAD\necho \"Hello World!\"\n=======\necho \"Hello World\"\n>>>>>> new_branch\n\n
When you open the file in your text editor, you'll see the changes from the HEAD or base branch after the line <<<<<<< HEAD.
Next, you'll see =======, which divides your changes from the changes in the other branch, followed by >>>>>>> new_branch, the branch we attempted to merge into main.
\nDecide if you want to keep only your branch's changes, keep only the other branch's changes, or make a brand new change, which may incorporate changes from both branches.
\n\nDelete the conflict markers <<<<<<<, =======, >>>>>>> and make the changes you want in the final merge.
In this example, both changes are incorporated into the final merge.
\n\nHere's what the my_code.sh file looks like in it's final form:
Hello World\n\n
\nAdd or stage your changes, commit them, and finally, perform your last push to GitHub.
\n$ git add .\n$ git commit -m \"[fix] merge conflict\"\n$ git push origin main\n\nWay to level up your Git skills --- you're ready to handle branches, merges, and conflicts in your day-to-day projects!
"}]},"next":null,"previous":null}}},"staticQueryHashes":[]}