Explain the concept of branching and merging in Git.

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Branching and Merging in Git:

1. Definition of Branching:

   • Branching in Git is the practice of creating divergent lines of development within a Git repository. Each branch represents an independent line of work, allowing developers to work on features, bug fixes, or experiments without affecting the main codebase.

2. Key Concepts of Branching:

   • • Master Branch: The master branch is the default and primary branch in a Git repository. It represents the main codebase and is considered the stable version of the project.
     • Feature Branches: Feature branches are created to work on new features or enhancements. They are isolated from the master branch, allowing developers to work independently on specific tasks.
     • Bug Fix Branches: Bug fix branches are created to address issues in the code. They allow developers to focus on fixing a specific problem without impacting ongoing development.

3. Creating a Branch:

   • Developers create branches using the git branch command. For example, to create a new feature branch named "feature-branch," the command would be:
     bash

• • git branch feature-branch

• Switching Between Branches:

  • Developers switch between branches using the git checkout or git switch command. For example:
    bash

or

• • git switch feature-branch

• Committing Changes to a Branch:

  • Developers make changes to files in the working directory and commit them to the current branch using the git commit command. These changes are specific to the branch they are currently on.

• Merging Branches:

  • Merging is the process of combining changes from one branch into another. The most common scenario is merging changes from a feature branch back into the master branch. The git merge command is used for this purpose.
  bash
• # Switch to the branch you want to merge into (e.g., master) git checkout master # Merge changes from the feature branch git merge feature-branch

• Conflict Resolution:

  • Conflicts may arise when merging if changes in the branches overlap. Git provides tools to resolve conflicts manually. Once conflicts are resolved, the changes can be committed to complete the merge.

• Branch Deletion:

  • After a feature or bug fix is successfully merged, the branch can be deleted using the git branch -d command.
    bash