Creating and pushing to a new branch lets you work on features, fixes, or experiments without affecting the main codebase. Here’s how to do it smoothly.
🚀 Steps to Push to a New Branch
1. Check Out a New Branch Locally
To create and switch to a new branch named feature-branch:
git checkout -b feature-branch
This creates a new branch and switches you to it immediately.
2. Make Your Changes
Edit your files, add new code, and when ready, stage and commit your changes:
git add .
git commit -m "Add feature xyz"
3. Push the New Branch to GitHub
Push your local branch to the remote repository:
git push -u origin feature-branch
-usets the upstream tracking so futuregit pushorgit pullcommands will know which branch to use.originis the default name for the remote repository.feature-branchis the branch name you want to push.
4. Create a Pull Request (Optional)
After pushing, go to GitHub. You’ll usually see a prompt to Compare & pull request for your new branch. Click it to open a PR and start code review.
🧠 Summary Table
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
git checkout -b <branch> | Create & switch to new branch |
git add . | Stage changes |
git commit -m "message" | Commit changes |
git push -u origin <branch> | Push new branch to GitHub and set upstream |
🔥 Pro Tips
- Use descriptive branch names:
feature/login,bugfix/navbar-fix,hotfix/security-patch - Keep branches short-lived and focused to avoid merge conflicts
- Regularly pull changes from
mainormasterinto your branch to stay updated
