Branches Overview

# 1) List + create
git branch                          # local branches
git branch -a                       # local + remote
git branch -vv                      # show tracking + last commit
git branch feature/add-search       # create from HEAD (doesn't switch)
git switch -c feature/add-search    # create + switch (modern)
git checkout -b feature/add-search  # same, classic syntax

# 2) Switch
git switch main                     # modern
git switch -                        # last branch (like cd -)
git checkout main                   # classic

# 3) Branch from a specific point
git switch -c hotfix v1.4.2         # from a tag
git switch -c hotfix origin/main    # from a remote ref
git switch -c hotfix abc1234        # from a SHA

# 4) Rename
git branch -m old-name new-name              # current branch
git branch -m other-branch new-name          # other branch
git push origin -u new-name                  # republish
git push origin --delete old-name            # clean up remote

# 5) Delete — safe vs forced
git branch -d feature/done           # only if fully merged into HEAD
git branch -D feature/abandoned      # FORCE — drops unmerged work
git push origin --delete feature/done

# 6) See what's NOT merged
git branch --no-merged main          # branches whose work is still floating
git branch --merged main             # safe to delete

# 7) Track an upstream
git branch --set-upstream-to=origin/main main
git push -u origin feature/new       # publish + set tracking

# 8) Find the common ancestor / divergence
git merge-base main feature/foo
git log main..feature/foo            # commits ON feature/foo not on main
git log feature/foo..main            # the other way

# 9) Show every branch a commit lives on
git branch --contains abc1234

# 10) Prune stale tracking refs (branches deleted on the remote)
git fetch --prune
git remote prune origin

git branch                  # list local
git branch -a               # include remote-tracking
git branch new-feature
git switch new-feature