Algocraft / Git Commands / git branch & checkout

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git branch & checkout

A branch is just a movable pointer to a commit. HEAD tracks which one you're standing on — or lets you stand on a commit directly

Branch Pointer HEAD Detached HEAD

🎮 What you can do

Play or Step through creating, switching, and detaching HEAD
Create and delete your own branches in Sandbox mode

👁 What to watch

branch alone never moves HEAD — only checkout does
Checking out a raw commit puts HEAD in a dashed ring — detached
Deleting a branch before merging can leave commits dimmed and hard to find

Branches

🧪 Sandbox

Commit Graph Step 0 / 0

Working Directory → Staging → Repository

Terminal Transcript

Key Concepts

🎯 When to Use

Starting any new piece of work in isolation
Inspecting an old commit without disturbing any branch

⚖️ Branch vs Checkout

git branch name: create the pointer, stay where you are
git checkout name: move HEAD to point at it
git checkout -b name does both in one step
Modern Git splits this into git switch / git restore

🎓 Pro Tips

Commit while detached and you must branch it or lose it to garbage collection
git branch -d refuses to delete unmerged work; -D forces it