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Feature Branching

A feature branch is a branch created to develop a specific feature independently from the main codebase. This practice allows you to work on a new feature without affecting the stable codebase, and it makes it easier to manage code reviews, testing, and integration.

1. Start from the Base Branch​

Make sure you are on the base branch (usually main), otherwise switch to it:

git switch main         # assuming 'main' is the 'base branch'

2. Pull the Latest Changes​

Ensure your local branch is up to date with the remote repository:

git pull origin main    # pulling the latest commits from the remote repository
additional info
  • git pull:
    -> This command is a combination of git fetch (which retrieves changes from the remote repository) and git merge (which merges those changes into your current branch).
  • origin:
    -> This specifies the remote repository you want to pull from. When you first clone a repository, Git automatically names the remote repository origin by default, though you can rename it if desired.
  • main:
    -> This is the name of the branch on the remote origin from which you want to pull updates.

Why origin Is Used by Default​

  • Naming Convenience: origin is just a name Git assigns to the first remote repository for ease of reference. If you add additional remotes (e.g., for a forked repository), you’ll give each of them a different name (like upstream).

Checking Commits before pulling main​

  • git fetch origin main:
    -> Check for any new commits on the main branch in the origin remote repository.
    -> Can be done if you want to first check the latest commits before merging from the main with git pull origin main.

3. Create the Feature Branch​

Now, create a new branch with a descriptive name. It’s common to prefix the branch name with feature/ and then describe the feature concisely. Git automatically switches to the new branch.

git switch -c feature/your-feature-name  # 'feature/your-feature-name' is name of the new branch

4. Make Your Changes​

Work on the "new feature", "add" and "commit" regularly.

5. Push the Feature Branch to the Remote Repository​

Till now the new "branch" only exist on the "local repository" where nobody else can see it.
When you want to share the feature branch (for example, to create a pull request or get feedback), push it to the remote repository:

git push -u origin feature/your-feature-name
  • The -u option sets up "tracking", so for future pushes, you can just use git push.

6. Create a Pull Request​

Once the feature is complete and pushed, create a pull request (PR) from feature/your-feature-name into the main code branch (e.g., main). This pull request is where your code will be reviewed and approved.

how to create a pull request on GitHub (website)

7. Merge the Feature Branch​

After the pull request is approved, merge the "feature branch" (feature/your-feature-name) into the "base branch" (main):

  1. Via GitHub/GitLab/etc.:
    This is typically done on the web interface by clicking “Merge” in the pull request.

  2. Via Command Line:
    Alternatively, you can merge manually by:

git switch main                        # switch out the 'main' branch
git pull origin main                   # pulling the latest changes
git merge feature/your-feature-name    # merging 'main' (checked out branch) with 'feature/your-feature-name'

8. Delete the Feature Branch​

Once merged, you can delete the feature branch locally and remotely to keep the repo clean:

git branch -d feature/your-feature-name             # Local delete
git push origin --delete feature/your-feature-name  # Remote delete